Saturday, August 10, 2013

Sunday Mini-challenge: Palindromes

Hi toads and pond visitors ! I am excited to share another weekend challenge - palindromes. This is also known as mirrored poetry.  

Picture by Grace  

Sotades invented palindromes in Greek-ruled Egypt, back in the 3rd century BC. In fact, palindromes were once known as "Sotadic verses."  Palindrome comes from the Greek words "palin" (again or back) and "dramein" (to run). So if you read that backwards, it translates loosely into "to run back." 



The palindrome simply reads the same forwards and backwards, usually with a central focal point from where it begins to read backwards. There are several ways to write palindrome poems, three are presented here, along with examples.

1. It can be read backwards, with the same words.   Here's how to do this:  Use the same words in the first half of the poem as the second half, but reverse the order for the second half, and use a word in the middle as a bridge from the first half to the second half of the poem.


Example: Love/Hate Relationship
by Paula Brown

Love
Mimics hate:
Passionate always, forging forward.
Unquiet rage screams
Poetry.
Tangled mercilessly;
Emotion 
—mirrors—
Emotion,
Mercilessly tangled.
Poetry 
Screams rage, unquiet.
Forward forging, always passionate:
Hate mimics
Love.

2. Here is another way of writing a palindrome poem, more difficult-- it reads the same forwards and backwards by letter.

Mood's mode!
Pallas, I won!
(Diaper pane, sold entire.)
Melt till ever sere, hide it.
Drown a more vile note;
(Tar of rennet.)
Ah, trowel, baton, eras ago.
The reward? A "nisi."  Two nag.

Otary tastes putrid, yam was green.
Odes up and on; stare we.
Rats nod. Nap used one-erg saw.
(May dirt upset satyr?)

A toga now; 'tis in a drawer, eh?
Togas are notable.
(Worth a tenner for Ate`.)
Tone liver. O Man, word-tied I.

Here's revel!
Little merit, Ned? Lose, Nap?
Repaid now is all apedom's doom.

--by Hubert Phillips: 

3. Another version of a palindrome poem is the line palindrome, which reads forwards and backwards, by lines.

As I was passing near the jail
I met a man, but hurried by.
His face was ghastly, grimly pale.
He had a gun.  I wondered why
He had.  A gun?  I wondered... why,
His face was *ghastly*!  Grimly pale,
I met a man, but hurried by,
As I was passing near the jail.

-- Author Unknown

The challenge:   to write a new palindrome poem.   Please note that only poems written for this challenge may be added to the Mr Linky.  Management reserves the right to remove unrelated links, but invites you to share a poem of your choice on Open Link Monday.

I look forward to reading your words ~  Grace (aka Heaven) 

21 comments:

Grace said...

I apologize for the time mishap ~ I look forward to reading your palindromes ~

Happy weekend to all ~

grapeling said...

Madam, I'm Adam.

Does that count? Oh, it has to be original. OK, Fine.

This is quite the challenge, Grace.

Kerry O'Connor said...

I find palindromes incredibly difficult to write, while still retaining some sense (the second example you give, Heaven, is amazing in concept but I haven't a clue what Phillips is attempting to communicate). Example 3 is about all I might hope to master, though my hats off to those who get Example 1 correct.

Grace said...

M, I'm HANNAH (just kidding but the name is perfect palindrome) ~ I hope you try it ~

Kerry, it doesn't have to be 100% perfect and you can be creative as you like to give it meaning & pulse ~

Hannah said...

No!! I'M Hannah!!! Hee-hee!! That my name is a palindrome has always been special to me!!

Thank you for the challenge, Heaven!!

Susie Clevenger said...

This was not an easy challenge, but I am so thankful for it Grace. I am looking forward to reading what all the amazing toads come up with!!

Unknown said...

This is really cool grace I won't get to it until tonight but I can't wait!!

Susan said...

Hard stuff. Mine is a bit surreal, but I liked the challenge a lot!

Gemma Wiseman said...

Haven't tried this one for a long time. Hope this one works. Good to stir the imagination and the patience.

humbird said...

Love it! Thanks Grace :)

Margaret said...

My mind is in a jumble! Wow this is hard. I will do my best - glad we have two days!!!!

Marian said...

what fun, Grace, thank you! i never tried a palindrome poem before.

Kerry O'Connor said...

Grace, I remembered that I wrote a palindrome for your rictameter challenge, so I went that way again. Thank you.

brudberg said...

Had to try myself at this challenge... fun to test palindromes... For me it's enough to try the first variety.

Kerry O'Connor said...

Bjorn, unfortunately the cowboy poem written for dVerse is the one you have linked here - perhaps accidentally. If you do have a palindrome you would like to share, please relink the correct URL.

Grace said...

Marian,your palindrome poem is perfect ~

To Everyone: I am enjoying your palindromes ~ Thank you all for linking up & will be checking through the day for new ones ~ Happy Sunday ~

grapeling said...

4 attempts, none satisfactory, will make do with reading the other's pieces...

Grace said...

M ~ thanks for your effort ~ You can always share them during OLN Monday when its done ~

Kay L. Davies said...

Wow. Not easy. I might need my husband's help. He thinks along these lines (no pun intended) more than I do, but first I intend to try it on my own.
K
PS—This challenge came up, then disappeared, and I've been trying to find it again. Finally succeeded, without much time to spare.

Maggie Grace said...

I saw Bjorn's palindrome poetry earlier today and was left in awe thinking I couldn't even attempt such a thing. I did it small...but like the first example. I hope it qualifies. Great challenge!

Phil Slade said...

All impressive stuff Mama and difficult to do. Too clever, clever too.