It’s the first Friday of the month, so it time for another Sunday Night Swaggers Challenge. This month, Margaret Simon challenged us to write zenos. Invented by J. Patrick Lewis, a zeno is a ten line form with a 8-4-2-1-4-2-1-4-2-1 syllable sequence an abcdefdghd rhyme scheme. Learn more about Pat and this form here. After a few false starts, I went for a walk to clear my head. As often happens, this poem was waiting for me.
Swirling, twirling like autumn leaves,
summer songbirds
flock, take
flight
toward steamy,
breezy
light
kaleidoscope
whirling
bright.
Draft © Catherine Flynn, 2019
Read more zenos by my Swagger friends on their blogs:
Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe
Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
Please be sure to visit Cheriee Weichel at Library Matters for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
I’d never heard of a zeno! I love the way that poetry always keeps me learning and growing and challenging myself, certainly good for the old brain!
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I love the image you captured here, Catherine. I can just see that kaleidoscope of birds and leaves in the autumn sky. Beautiful!
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Love the tightness of zenos and your “kaleidoscope”, Catherine!
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I love the comparison of songbirds to leaves and these wonderful words of imagery, “kaleidoscope
whirling
bright.”
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I am enjoying reading all of your Zenos today. Like Margaret, Kaleidoscope whirling bright, grabbed my attention here. I have added this form to my want to try list!
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Well done! I like how in the restriction of the “rules” you wrote a poem that feels like it’s moving. It pairs perfectly with the photograph of the leaves swirling.
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This is just lovely. You make the zeno look effortless–and from having tried one, I know it’s quite tricky.
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We didn’t have as many bright songbirds this year…I don’t think I saw a single goldfinch. I’m glad to at least have the memory of enough to make a whirling twirl…
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Catherine, your zeno has motion, description, and a seasonal suggestion. I really like how you crafted this one.
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Catherine, I absolutely love the kaleidscope image of your songbirds- beautiful! I’m enjoying the zeno form this week.
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