Happy July! Welcome to the Carrot Ranch Double Ennead Monthly Poetry Challenge. Every third Monday of the month, I’ll be here at the Saloon with another challenge to help get your poetic juices flowing. Each month, we will explore a different theme or image to inspire our poetry. Take your time, there’s no hurry! You have an entire month to write your poem.
Check out the poems from last month HERE
The word Ennead means nine, and a double nine is ninety-nine! Carrot Ranch is famous for 99-word flash fiction. Now, the ranch has its own syllabic poetry form written in 99 syllables!
The Double Ennead comprises five lines with a syllable count of 6/5/11/6/5, (33 SYLLABLES per stanza) 3 STANZAS EACH = 99 SYLLABLES, NO MORE, NO LESS! Punctuation and rhyme schemes are optional and up to the poet.
Last month’s challenge was TUFF! So, this month, let’s write our double ennead using the image below or expound on the theme of travel!
For more inspiration read: What Is Ekphrastic Poetry?
Our Inspiration:
Use the image above to compose your double ennead poem. Remember to count your syllables using the sodacoffee.com/syllables site.
My example follows:
"Travel through Books" books give me wings to fly to charming spaces where characters invite me into their lives to stay for just a while— bittersweet friendships books give me wings to fly to far-off places where the battle against good versus evil wins out at the finish— soul-satisfying books give me wings to fly to learn new concepts for writing poetry and fun flash fiction— travel the world of books enjoy your flight—read! © Colleen M. Chesebro
Poetry is based on your perceptions. After all the places I lived and traveled to, in and out of the Air Force, the theme of travel is still exciting. (Although now, I do most of my traveling through reading). While I wrote this double ennead with the theme of travel through the reading of books, you might feel and interpret the image differently. Follow your inner voice for inspiration.
In this double ennead, I used the literary device of repetition by intentionally using the phrase “books give me wings to fly” for effect. Poets often employ this technique. We should use the phrase at least two or more times for the repetition to be noticeable. The words or phrases should be repeated within close proximity of each other. Repeating the same words or phrases in a poem brings clarity to an idea and makes it memorable for the reader.
In the next month:
- Write a double ennead poem based on the image above.
- Post it on your blog or in the comments of this post.
- Include a link back to this challenge in your post. (copy the https:// address of this post into your post).
- Read and comment on your fellow poet’s work. Feedback from other poets is how we grow our poetry writing craft.
- Like and leave a comment below if you choose to do so.
- I’ll visit, comment, and share your poetry on social media!
Now have fun and write some syllabic poetry!
[…] Saddle Up Saloon; Colleen’s Double Ennead Challenge No. 6 « Carrot Ranch Literary Community, The Whirligig: Whirligig 326 […]
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Good morning, Colleen 🙂
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Hello, Lady Lee. ❤️
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That’s a great challenge, Colleen. I really enjoyed your poem about travelling in/through books – that’s the best way. You can go anywhere and anywhen you want.
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Exactly! I’ve been an armchair reader/traveler for years! Thanks, Norah. ❤️
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Good luck with this Colleen.
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Many thanks, Ellen. Thanks for stopping by to say hello. ❤
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I would join in if it was free form xx💞 But I enjoy reading them. X
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It’s all good Ellen. The heart wants to write what the heart wants to write ✍🏻❤️
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🙏❤😘
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A terrific poem, Colleen. I love it.
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Thanks, Robbie. You are a voracious reader, so I knew you would connect with my poem. ❤
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[…] Saddle Up/ Double Ennead #6Image prompt: Image from Pixabay The Double Ennead comprises five lines with a syllable count of 6/5/11/6/5, (33 SYLLABLES per stanza) 3 STANZAS EACH = 99 Twiglet 236 the last word Word Craft Poetry #235 Image Credit: Annette Rochelle Aben […]
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I triple prompted here: Rest, Restore, Rejuvenate
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Bravo! ❤
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That’s a fabulous photo inspiration, Colleen! I love the idea of swapping Air Force travels for book travels in life. Already a couple of great responses! And kudos to all who took the harder challenge last month!
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Thanks, Charli. Traveling around the world is great inspiration! Where do you want to go? 😍
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I love your poem, Colleen. And i’m in a similar position (wthout the Airforce) of having ‘retired’ from travelling IRL but doing so in books.
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Hello Anne! Traveling by book is the best! Currently, I’m reading novel number nine (a 9 book series I’ve worked my way through) about a space captain in the future that discovers an alien race of intelligent birds! It’s been quite the adventure! It’s just like your books and characters… always a pleasure to visit for a while. ❤
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