Good Sunday my readers. I hope you are enjoying beauty in your surroundings. I am attempting something I’ve never done (and had never heard of, until recently). It’s all your fault, Merril. The following is my attempt at a cleave poem. For those of you, who, like me, had (have) no clue what the heck that is… it’s a poem that can be read three ways: just the column on the left (in black), the column on the right (in blue) or the whole thing together.
I don’t know what I was thinking except to push myself into a scary, unknown territory. Me, who’s not even a poet!
Thank you Sammi Cox for hosting this challenge. You have unwittingly given me a push!
Whisper thin, veil-like, her dress of zephyr
Gently billowing around her, caressing her body
Dancing and swaying with the long grasses, tickling her legs
Meandering, no final destination, she smiles at life’s joys
Arms wide, receiving this blessing, sun beaming down
Taking it all in and absorbing the good, feeling warm and loved
Cloud comes, obscures the sun, suddenly cool, blot of darkness
What is this? She frowns, looks up
Surreptitiously, the zephyr appears, cloud is gently blown away
One needs some darkness, to better appreciate the light
And to allow the wind to blow, capturing and releasing, loving and losing
A Dalectable Life 
I’m honored to have inspired you, Dale! Thank you for letting me know.
I’m impressed that you not only tackled it, but also followed a prompt making it exactly 101 words–because why not make it harder? 🙂 (I didn’t count.)
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You so did, Merril. And I had to let you know 😉
Yeah… I’m crazy like that. And you can count.. There are exactly 101 words!
Was it passably readable?
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Yes, definitely! It’s a whole story when you read both sides.
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I was afraid either side would be less than but that the whole might work…
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I think I liked the right side and the whole just a bit more than the left side–but that might just be me. 🙂 You can always come back to it and play with it some more without the word constraint. I am still impressed.
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Same here… I preferred the whole and the right!
Thank you so much for your feedback! Much appreciated and honoured.
I think I’m nuts to even have tried it, quite frankly 😏
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If you never try, you’ll never know.
(Much like searching for the perfect cuban sandwich.) 😉
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Ha ha! Exactly… and it’s good to stretch…
(That’s a try of a whole ‘nother sort 😉)
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Q,
You explained what a cleave poem is splendidly but I am truly clueless still! Lol.
So I simply immersed myself in each snippet and enjoyed it. 😀
Very much.
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B,
Hah! I am still glad you read and immersed yourself then…
You are too kind,
Q
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But of course! You are earnest, which is a terrific attribute indeed. And the poems you pen are always lovely.
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So much said in so few words…
And you are generous, which is graciously accepted.
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😁
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Very ‘zephyr-ous’, all floaty and stuff.
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😊 I’ll take it…
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Bravo! Your poem is beautiful! I like the concept of darkness being necessary for the light.
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Thank you. So very happy that did come through…
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Cheers to you diving into the fray. You claim not to be a poet – and so I proclaim the same – but you dived in and I didn’t. A tip of the cap to your new venture and the result!
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Thanks for your words of encouragement, Frank.
I did dive in (crazy me). Not saying I’m going to go swimming there again, though!
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Dear Dale,
I read it all three ways. Any way you slice it, your poem is lovely. Well done, my friend. Congratulations on a successful leap from the box.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
You are most kind. It was so far outside my box it was in another playground!
Sometimes we just have to stretch ourselves, eh, my friend?
I am glad you liked it…
Lotsa love,
Dale
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I cannot really see the two sides – but I am in the reader and maybe that is why – but cool poem idea and you did a fine work (so creative)
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You can’t see the two colours?
I do thank you. It’s no easy task to try to have two poems that are distinct but work together as a shole as well. I do thank you for being so kind on my first attempt at trying to be creative in a different way 😉
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not in the reader…
—
well the pleasure is mine – and we readers also enjoy the fresh attempts when we read along – so thank you for explaining it and all that –
have a nice week
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Ahhhh… I wonder if the bold would have shown… I was wondering how to separate them.
Thank YOU!
Have a great week, too
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🙂
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A tough task accomplished beautifully.
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Thank you!
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This is so brilliant Dale. I wish I could write like this..
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Oh jeez! That is kind of you. Was a new thing I attempted and took me forever and I appreciate your comment.
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Great idea, thanks for the prompt.
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Thank you and you’re welcome.
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Pingback: Zephyt | Creative Writing
Love your poem here is my poem on Zephyr: https://wordpress.com/post/zeal4writing.wordpress.com/148
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Thank you. I’ll go check yours out.
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Your link doesn’t work…
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Thanks for the feedback
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Try: https://zeal4writing.wordpress.com/2018/07/09/zephyt/
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Have to visit your main site to read it….beautiful!
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Thank you so much, Arlene.
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Well-done, Dale!! 🙂
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Thank you, Brenda!
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Your “whole” cleave poem reads beautifully. Amazing work.
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Thank you, Ina. I honestly do not what came over me but after reading Merril’s, I just felt like trying it… me with zero poetry in me…
So all the more appreciative of your kind words!
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That is just beautiful, Dale. I’m most admiring of your leap from the box! Just loved the result 🙂
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Oh my… Now I’m totally chuffed. Thank you so much for your sweet words!
And I am beyond pleased you loved my attempt!
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I’m very proud of you 🙂
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I am now beaming… always nice to have someone you admire and respect tell you such a thing… xo
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