A DIZAIN
Playing with Poetry
And starting a war
I’m trying out a new poetry form
inspired by poet jenine bsharah baines
with a rhyme scheme to which one must conform.
They’re new to me—these ten-line dizains—
starting a war ’tween my left and right brains.
My right brain’s creative—colors and shapes—
like watching movies on videotapes.
My left brain is logic—patterns, and words—
rigidity, rules. There’s just no escape!
So sorry, my friends. Dizains are for nerds.
Well, that was fun! Thanks, jenine, for the prompt and the inspiration. It’s fun to try new things!
And for you readers who managed to plod through to this point, a dizain is a poetry form I had not known until today. I’m a huge fan of writing “puzzle” poems, including villanelles, sonnets, and (ugh) limericks, where the rules are rigid and a spreadsheet is required in order to keep track of the syllable count and the rhyming words.
Not everyone is wired the same way, but my brain comprises two completely different “personalities,” each with its own set of skills, preferences, and attitudes.
