Today’s prompt is to write a Spanish form called a “glosa” – literally a poem that glosses, or explains, or in some way responds to another poem. The idea is to take a quatrain from a poem that you like, and then write a four-stanza poem that explains or responds to each line of the quatrain, with each of the quatrain’s four lines in turn forming the last line of each stanza. Each stanza is supposed to have 10 lines.
I absolutely loved writing this form. I chose the quatrain from Simon Armitage’s poem, ‘Out of the Blue’ (I’ve provided the link below my poem for those who wish to read it). The quatrain I used was
I am trying and trying.
The heat behind me is bullying, driving,
But the white of surrender s not yet flying,
I am not at the point of leaving,diving.
The poem is written as a tribute to the pregnant mother and baby who lost their lives in the war in Ukraine. The picture is not meant to hurt anybody’s sensitivity but was shared as it is the truth- the reality.
Note: I added an extra stanza which is a Ukranian lullaby to the glosa.
My stomach hurts My shirt's wet it's not sweat My hand's red Is my baby dead? My blood's warm, it's oozing out "Save my child," I shout "Stay calm," you tell me."Keep breathing." I am trying and trying I can smell burning I see walls crumbling Like a pack of cards Shards I see them flying Save my baby, I think I'm dying Is it smoke that I see Or is it dust, tell me! It's hazy, my eyes are blurring The heat behind me is bullying, driving, "You're going to be fine," you say staggering over the rubble, on the way How? I want to ask My voice is stuck; it feels like a task The sound of bombing shatters the air Shakes my stretcher, I feel a tear My baby, help! My water just broke I feel myself choke "You will wake up to free Ukraine," you're saying But the white of surrender is not flying A bitter smell, I'm delirious "We need to cut her open." They can't be serious. My eyes, I can't open them "The baby- it's not breathing." I'm sure it's a bad dream. I'm hallucinating This can't be. We waited so long My baby, sleep. Let me sing you a song Take a look inside my heart Baby, can you hear your Mamma singing I am not at the point of leaving, diving Take a look right inside my heart Stop the winter Make the cold depart Winds are blowing but the warmth you bring Make me feel like it's early Spring Ask the clouds in the sky To bring us dreams When they pass by We will follow leaving night To the world of magic light P.C- From the news

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