LYRICAL EXHIBIT
"Poetry is like music to the literary enthusiast"
ABOUT CHARLENE
MY BACK STORY
I've been fascinated with the creative writing form after my 9th-grade high school teacher announced an upcoming short story contest. I was shocked when she announced that I was one of the two winners of the competition.
Later, I challenged myself to enter the Bob Hope poetry writing competition for which I received an honorable mention certificate. After being bitten by the creative writing bug, I desired to expand my knowledge, so I became an avid reader and writer of both Renaissance-era poetry and short stories.
Although, I developed an interest in both literary art forms; however, my love of poetry significantly increased. So, I began focusing primarily on writing poetry instead of short stories. Although I write in diverse writing genres, I have the most fun with lyric, haiku, free-verse, and tanka poetry.
I gradually became an avid reader and writer of poetry. Several years later, I developed a desire to collaborate with fellow poets, so, I joined a local poetry group. The club's president gave monthly poetry writing prompts and required members to share their poetry and have it critiqued.
I'm grateful for the inspiration and valuable experience I gained from participating in this poetry group. Fast-forward to 2023, I decided to write new poems and dust off and edit some old ones to share on this portfolio website.
I'm fond of several poetic forms and one of my favorites is the ballad quatrain which comprises a four-line stanza and a specific alternating rhyme scheme in an abcb pattern. The rhyme is on the last word of lines two and four. Additionally, I've explored songwriting and will share a few from my collection; hence the name Lyrical Exhibit.
Lyrical Exhibit showcases poetry forms like lyric, haiku, free verse and tanka, poetry from my personal collection. I look forward to collaborating with fellow poets and connecting with readers in the comment section.
Stay tuned for future guest posting opportunities. My ultimate goal in establishing this website is to share, inspire, and have a blast with the literary art of poetry.
Winter Blues
Ballad quatrain poetry (abcb pattern)
Howling winds, cold and brutal
Grounds enveloped with snow
Dead brown leaves softly fall
Temps plummet to 10° below
Bones quiver; teeth-chatters
Fading smiles; emerging gloom
Cold noses, chilled bodies
Barricaded in their room
© Charlene Shelmire, 2021
*Originally published on Medium*
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