Hello, Poetry Friend
Simon Darre, who is originally betrothed to Kristin but then ends up marrying her sister Ramborg, is a complex character. There are times I admire him and times I despise him. But the chapter about his death is oh so beautifully rendered.
In Tania Runyan’s book How to Write a Form Poem, she says a pantoum is “useful for plumbing memory and exploring the past.” She also calls a pantoum an “incantation.” Its repetition of lines lends itself to ruminating on what has already happened.
For my poem “Two Simons,” I used phrases from the vision he has while dying n infection that probably a little penicillin and a tetanus shot could have fixed. A vision of his cousin and childhood friend, also named Simon. The two Simons become interwoven, which says something to me about Simon’s dual natures..
“Two Simons” first appeared at Project Redux.
Two Simons a pantoum I can count every freckle on his face He wants to go fishing with me The dead boy walks in the spring pasture The long road home sparkles in uncertain snow I want to go fishing with him phew! phew! Away with you— Uncertain snow blocks the long road home Ramborg can marry again, maybe happily phew! phew! Away with you— You won’t be able to heal me, Kristin Ramborg can marry again and be happy Erlend is a splendid specimen of a man (sometimes) You won’t be able to heal me, Kristin I walk with the dead boy in the spring pasture Your Erlend is a splendid specimen of a man (sometimes) My every freckle is reflected on your face –Megan Willome
Poetry Journal
My poem is a pantoum, which traditionally does not rhyme but has lines that repeat in a particular order. If you’d like to try writing a pantoum, here’s a funny graphic to explain the form: The Pantoum of the Opera. If you like, email me what you write.
Happy poeming!
Megan