Glice

Author's note: these are numbered for your convience to locate, refer to or review.


1

Anticipation

Hey dad,
how many days
till we flood the yard?
Are the nights cold enough now it's
August?

Catalogue number: [162.25b]
2 april 2005


2

Canada's son

That summer,
they moved to Texas.
Hell had never been so hot!
He waited with his skates for winter.
... Didn't come.

Catalogue number: [162.72b]
22 april 2005


3

Bury me in the pond

Dearest niece:
... Upon my deathbed,
bring me your new unlaced skates,
that I may know their form when they soar
above me.

Catalogue number: [162.89b]
2 mai 2005


4

The novice

He stands stiff,
stick held fast in hands.
No one claims he glides on ice.
His eyes stare cold; he flicks his wrist, smiles
as he scores.

Catalogue number: [162.64a]
21 april 2005


5

Why did we fight?

Where was she?
She said she would come.
Said she might be late from work.
Who could be more important than me?
Gloves come off.

Catalogue number: [162.73b]
23 april 2005


6

Hope (old skates)

Unlaced,
they sag alone.
The skates of youth-now-gone
rest at the back of closets, guard
memories.

Catalogue number: [162.68b]
22 april 2005


7

Face off

One, two, three.
Each moment stretches
before the ref drops the puck.
The center holds his breath, becomes 'One'
with the spot.

Catalogue number: [162.67a]
22 april 2005


8

Summer dreams

He grieves.
Daffodils bloom.
Grass turns emerald
and the skating rink becomes
a pond.

Once more
he'll grab a pail,
hunt for worms, catch some fish,
stretch out on the bank and moan:
winter.

Catalogue number: [162.68a]
22 april 2005


9

Skating belongs to the young

Clean diapers,
properly bundled,
across the slick smooth surface.
He will learn to glide, long before he's
potty trained.

Catalogue number: [162.71b]
22 april 2005


10

Boards around the rink

Useful,
to stretch one's legs,
or bang opponents' heads.
Boards keep the fights within the rink
... sometimes.

Catalogue number: [162.71b]
22 april 2005


11

Patron saint

Bury me,
beneath the ice rink.
In summer, I'll push up grass.
In winter, I'll freeze ice-cream dreams of
Stanley cups.

Catalogue number: [162.73c]
23 april 2005


12

Goalie

Padded, masked,
patiently she waits.
Muscles quiver, emotions quake,
while she must calm the center of her
gravity.

Catalogue number: [162.64b]
21 april 2005


13

Vision of longing

Daughter-
of-thin-black-ice,
white skates, red coat, green scarf:
glisten on this depth of mirrors, glide
hither.

Catalogue number: [162.891]
2 mai 2005


14

Defenseman on the bench

Goal!GOAL!!!
Down in the mouth,
he goes to sit alone.
That shot? Great for the other team,
that scored.

Catalogue number: [162.73a]
23 april 2005


15

Patience

Cold calm
rime rests waiting.
It beckons me to skate.
I glare back, groan, scratch my broken
ankle.

Catalogue number: [162.25a]
2 april 2005


NOTE TO RATERS/REVIEWERS:

American cinquains have 22 syllables in five lines: 2-4-6-8-2. There should be a building of emotion and release. A crescendo 2-4-6-8 and a final dimuendo. Iambic meter is traditional but other meters are fine, although difficult. Also, traditionally there are 11 stresses, but this is not as important as the number of syllables. Some of my cinquains follow one of two modified forms: 3-5-7-9-3 or rarely 3-6-9-12-3. Both of these allow for dactyls and more intricate rhythms.