A Golden Shovel Poem (Part Two) #terriblepoetry

Posted on Feb 3, 2022 by TanGental

I’d just got my head round Chel’s Golden Shovel challenge when it changed, here. Now it was take your poem and use the last word of each line in that poem as the last word in each line of your poem. Sigh…

So, using the same poem by Elizabeth BB which reads

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

That’s fourteen lines and a sonnet. I’ve tried to keep the meter so it remains consistent with the original. Oh, and it has to be about a pet.

The Admirable Persistence of Tortoises

My Tortoise, Vicky has various WAYS

Of escaping from my garden. The HEIGHT

Of the fence is no barrier. The SIGHT

Of her hauling herself isn’t exactly GRACE-

-Ful and it might take her several DAYS

To recover. She does tend to make LIGHT

Of the strain; her knees are shot and her RIGHT

Elbow needs some rest, but she thrives on PRAISE.

Whatever I say, it really is no USE

I can’t see her stopping now and her FAITH

In her awesome abilities to LOSE

The shackles of gravity take my BREATH

Away. I believe it is noble to CHOOSE

Her freedom over capture; that was is DEATH.

About TanGental

My name is Geoff Le Pard. Once I was a lawyer; now I am a writer. I've published several books: a four book series following Harry Spittle as he grows from hapless student to hapless partner in a London law firm; four others in different genres; a book of poetry; four anthologies of short fiction; and a memoir of my mother. I have several more in the pipeline. I have been blogging regularly since 2014, on topic as diverse as: poetry based on famous poems; memories from my life; my garden; my dog; a whole variety of short fiction; my attempts at baking and food; travel and the consequent disasters; theatre, film and book reviews; and the occasional thought piece. Mostly it is whatever takes my fancy. I avoid politics, mostly, and religion, always. I don't mean to upset anyone but if I do, well, sorry and I suggest you go elsewhere. These are my thoughts and no one else is to blame. If you want to nab anything I post, please acknowledge where it came from.
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19 Responses to A Golden Shovel Poem (Part Two) #terriblepoetry

  1. joylennick says:
    Feb 3, 2022 at 10:59 am

    Very clever, sir! Cheers. x

    Liked by 1 person

  2. willowdot21 says:
    Feb 3, 2022 at 11:44 am

    Go Vicky go ….
    Great terrible poetry 👍

    Liked by 2 people

  3. Peter's pondering says:
    Feb 3, 2022 at 12:06 pm

    Is this terribly great, or greatly terrible. I’ve confused myself, but it is………..something!

    Liked by 2 people

  5. noelleg44 says:
    Feb 3, 2022 at 4:03 pm

    You go, Vicky! Never mind your owner’s (?) terrible poetry. You are a good muse!

    Liked by 2 people

  6. arlingwoman says:
    Feb 4, 2022 at 4:41 am

    Vicky looks inspiring. I bet she loves your lawn, and if she cared for poetry, she’d be flattered to be chronicled (or maybe have a different perspective entirely).

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Jennie says:
    Feb 5, 2022 at 2:28 pm

    It’s good to see Vicky!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. robertawrites235681907 says:
    Feb 7, 2022 at 5:25 pm

    I do not think this is terrible at all, Geoff. In fact, it is quite brilliant.

    Liked by 1 person

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