Elements of Our Time

* The paradelle is a poem of four six-line stanzas in which the first and second lines, as well as the third and fourth lines of the first three stanzas, must be identical. The fifth and sixth lines must use all the words from the preceding lines and only those words. The final stanza must use every word from all the preceding stanzas and only these words.

Rain of the skies fall onto the Earth
Rain of the skies fall onto the Earth
Smothering the fire, stoked always by the air
Smothering the fire, stoked always by the air
Fire of the skies, fall onto the air
Stoked always by the rain, smothering the Earth

Destruction of the homes of unknowing citizens
Destruction of the homes of unknowing citizens
Soothing and healing the pain, making them strong again
Soothing and healing the pain, making them strong again
Destruction making them strong again
Soothing and healing the pain of unknowing citizens

Earths treasures of clear waterfalls
Earths treasures of clear waterfalls
Humanities fear of tornadoes, of death
Humanities fear of tornadoes, of death
Fear of Earths clear waterfalls
Treasures of death, Humanities tornadoes

Making them strong again, fire soothing and healing the pain
Smothering of humanities death, destruction of clear waterfalls, rain
The home of unknowing citizens, of the skies
Stoked always by the air, The Earths fear of the tornadoes