Poetry To The Third Power

Greetings from the land of exile, toads and April poetry participants, hedgewitch here. I am currently engaged in some issues that are keeping me from writing regularly, so this year  I am not doing a poem a day during this month.  However, I am popping in today to hopefully give some inspiration to those who are. As always, feel free to scroll down to the section "Particulars of The Challenge" at the bottom if you find my tendency to babble on about things is getting too overwhelming.

~*~

Today on the third Sunday of April, I'd like you to consider the possibilities of the number three.

There are all kinds of literary references to this potent number, from  the three-part riddle of the sphinx to Shakespeare's  three weird sisters, to trilogies like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

There are also plenty of examples of the number three in myth and religions:  the Three Norns who care for the World Tree and weave the tapestry of men's fates, The Three Graces, the Christian Holy Trinity as well as various other triune deities and Triple Goddesses.

Norns Weaving, illus. by Arthur Rackham

Detail, Three Graces, from Primavera by Sandro Botticelli

Triple formed image of the goddess Hecate

One could also explore the significance of the number three in the Tarot or numerology.

3 of Swords, 1919 Rider-Waite Tarot deck

Particulars of the Challenge:

The idea of three can appear in any form and in any association in your poem: three objects, as in the floating heads shown in the painting by Odilon Redon below, three places, events, people, states of mind, directions, colors, or whatever, as long as you incorporate the number as a meaningful element of your piece.

The Sleep of Caliban, by Odilon Redon

Alternatively, for those who like to work in that style, you could also employ one  of the many  poetic forms which utilize the concept of three--like the tercet, the triolet, the terza rima, or perhaps the sevenling, which uses groups of three in specific relationships. Kerry has also done a mini-challenge which contains more information about three line forms.

However you want to explore poetry to the third power, please feel free to do so. Then link up below and give your fellow participants some visiting and commenting  love.

All images here are in the public domain, so feel free to borrow them if you'd like, with proper attribution.