POETS

I find it interesting that in the past there was a multitude of suggested
structures for writing a poem, metre, rhyme and length were specified.
I imagine that, like the rules of musical harmony that I was taught as a
youth, the poetic rules came after the works were written in order to enable
us lesser writers to emulate the great.
There is a book by the Canadian poet Robin Skelton 'The Shapes of our Singing'
which contains over 300 formats collected from all over the world. The really remarkable thing is that Skelton has written a poem in every form, many of them
very good poems indeed.
One form that caught my attention long ago was the use of alliteration as
used in Chaucer's time. It's like having 'rhymes' at the beginning of words instead
of at the end.
I had a go.

POETS
by
FRANK BRYCE

Like scavengers scouring a scarified tip
Picking at left over leavings of lives
Scrabbling for scraps for hoarding and saving
Rummaging, rooting for rhythms and rhymes.

Death and destruction are special delights
Tragedies, traumas the tools of their trade
Loves lost or languishing gladden their hearts
From such sad subjects their poems are made.

Then weaving their ways with everyday words
Shaping their lines of sadness and sorrow
Restoring lost loves with longings fulfilled
Telling today the truths of tomorrow.

They say look and remember, life doesn't last
We write to help you to cope
with the rawness and rot and just to remind you
that here there is happiness, beauty and hope.

any comments?