"Gladiators" glide on ice. 15 cinquains about hockey. 3 have been published 5/06. |
Author's note: these are numbered for your convience to locate, refer to or review. 1 Anticipation Hey dad, how many days till we flood the yard? Are the nights cold enough now it's August? Catalogue number: [162.25b] 2 april 2005 2 Canada's son That summer, they moved to Texas. Hell had never been so hot! He waited with his skates for winter. ... Didn't come. Catalogue number: [162.72b] 22 april 2005 3 Bury me in the pond Dearest niece: ... Upon my deathbed, bring me your new unlaced skates, that I may know their form when they soar above me. Catalogue number: [162.89b] 2 mai 2005 4 The novice He stands stiff, stick held fast in hands. No one claims he glides on ice. His eyes stare cold; he flicks his wrist, smiles as he scores. Catalogue number: [162.64a] 21 april 2005 5 Why did we fight? Where was she? She said she would come. Said she might be late from work. Who could be more important than me? Gloves come off. Catalogue number: [162.73b] 23 april 2005 6 Hope (old skates) Unlaced, they sag alone. The skates of youth-now-gone rest at the back of closets, guard memories. Catalogue number: [162.68b] 22 april 2005 7 Face off One, two, three. Each moment stretches before the ref drops the puck. The center holds his breath, becomes 'One' with the spot. Catalogue number: [162.67a] 22 april 2005 8 Summer dreams He grieves. Daffodils bloom. Grass turns emerald and the skating rink becomes a pond. Once more he'll grab a pail, hunt for worms, catch some fish, stretch out on the bank and moan: winter. Catalogue number: [162.68a] 22 april 2005 9 Skating belongs to the young Clean diapers, properly bundled, across the slick smooth surface. He will learn to glide, long before he's potty trained. Catalogue number: [162.71b] 22 april 2005 10 Boards around the rink Useful, to stretch one's legs, or bang opponents' heads. Boards keep the fights within the rink ... sometimes. Catalogue number: [162.71b] 22 april 2005 11 Patron saint Bury me, beneath the ice rink. In summer, I'll push up grass. In winter, I'll freeze ice-cream dreams of Stanley cups. Catalogue number: [162.73c] 23 april 2005 12 Goalie Padded, masked, patiently she waits. Muscles quiver, emotions quake, while she must calm the center of her gravity. Catalogue number: [162.64b] 21 april 2005 13 Vision of longing Daughter- of-thin-black-ice, white skates, red coat, green scarf: glisten on this depth of mirrors, glide hither. Catalogue number: [162.891] 2 mai 2005 14 Defenseman on the bench Goal!GOAL!!! Down in the mouth, he goes to sit alone. That shot? Great for the other team, that scored. Catalogue number: [162.73a] 23 april 2005 15 Patience Cold calm rime rests waiting. It beckons me to skate. I glare back, groan, scratch my broken ankle. Catalogue number: [162.25a] 2 april 2005 NOTE TO RATERS/REVIEWERS: American cinquains have 22 syllables in five lines: 2-4-6-8-2. There should be a building of emotion and release. A crescendo 2-4-6-8 and a final dimuendo. Iambic meter is traditional but other meters are fine, although difficult. Also, traditionally there are 11 stresses, but this is not as important as the number of syllables. Some of my cinquains follow one of two modified forms: 3-5-7-9-3 or rarely 3-6-9-12-3. Both of these allow for dactyls and more intricate rhythms. PUBLISHED! #1 Anticipation, #2 Canada's son and #5 Why did we fight? have been published in the Ontario Amatuer Hockey Magazine, London Edition Spring/Summer. It was a pleasure to open up the mag and find them on page 11. I only knew that they had chosen some for publication, but not which ones . |