“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
~ L.M. Montgomery ~
How is it October already? Life is a whirlwind these days, but I couldn’t miss our monthly Inkling challenge. This month, Margaret challenged us to write Pythagorean poems. What on earth?! Here’s the lowdown (thank you, Linda!):
A Pythagorean Poem
created by Shari GreenThe math background:
Pythagoras’ theorem is a2 x b2 = c2
One possible triple is 3,4,5.3×3 + 4×4 = 5×5
9 + 16. = 25
Using the triple, the poetic form works like this:
1st stanza: 3 lines of 3 words each
2nd stanza: 4 lines of 4 words each
3rd stanza: 5 lines of 5 words each**The third stanza must be composed of all the words found in stanzas one and two (in any order; variations okay).
The third stanza should also be a progression of sorts, a product of the first two in thought or theme or meaning.
I love writing Fibonacci poems and pi poems, so this appealed to that part of my brain. What I found most challenging was using all the words in the last stanza. As already mentioned, life is a bit hectic these days, so I cheated just a bit and swapped she for the in the last stanza. Poetic license and all that.
Just before dawn,
a barred owl
calls his mate.
Perched in a pine
she responds, her hoot
echoing through the trees
seeping into my dreams.
Through the pines, a barred
owl’s hoot echoes. His mate,
perched in a tree, calls
her response just before the
dawn seeps into my dreams.
Draft, © Catherine Flynn, 2024
Please be sure to visit all the Inklings to see how they responded to this challenging challenge:
Mary Lee Hahn @ A(nother) Year of Reading
Heidi Mordhorst @ My Juicy Little Universe
Molly Hogan @ Nix the Comfort Zone
Linda Mitchell @ A Word Edgewise
Margaret Simon @ Reflections on the Teche
Then head over to visit Tabatha for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
Love the follow up to Tabathas owl poem. I applaud all who have taken on the Pythagroean challenge this week. Wow!
Cathy
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Isn’t it funny that we were both thinking about barred owls this week? “The dawn seeps into my dreams” is a beautiful ending.
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I love the discipline these word counts create. I’m no poet, but I like to try some of these just to see if I can meet the requirements–always a good challenge.
Nice poem, too, not just fitting the form!
Alice Horning
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In reading many of the Pythagorean poems this week, I am loving those third stanzas –both the echo of the previous two but with a deeper twist. I love that dawn and dreams came together in your final line.
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Love all of those beautiful words with long vowel sounds.
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I’m echoing Tabatha, loving that final line, Catherine. The circular vibes of these Pythagorean poems feels like a swirl of a dream each time.
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Fabulous subject for this poem. I love the idea of the owls conversing while you are all snuggled in bed just catching the sound of voices/hoots. I agree that the last stanza is a stinker! It’s tough and kudos to you for writing yours smooth.
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What a challenge and you met it wonderfully! I love the hoots and the echos and the dawn all seeping into dreams. Well done!
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The owl around our house greets me on my early morning walks. Leo is sacred of owls so Maggie has told him they cannot cross the bayou. I love the sense of peace here, that half dream state when you are waking up. Thanks for taking the challenge.
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Catherine, this is so lovely! You really managed to make it flow, and I don’t even notice the repetition much. Woohoo!
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Ooooh…this is dreamy! I adore “dawn seeps into my dreams.” We love hearing the barred owls call at night or early in the morning. What a gift, and the perfect fit for your Pythagorean Poem!
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Catherine, this is beautiful! I especially like the last line. I admire all these Pythagorean poems and the discipline it takes to create one. ❤️
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Catherine, I have never heard an owl call but you presented a realistic picture of this. Love the last line.
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