~ The Poet's Place Cafe~

The Grossblank form is 12 lines of unrhymed iambic hexameter (12 syllables with a relative stress pattern of da-DUM/ da-DUM/ da-DUM/ da-DUM/ da-DUM/ da-DUM)

The house was festooned with Christmas decorations
the HOUSE/ was fes-TOONED/ with CHRIST/-mas DEC/-o-RA/-tion
the HOUSE/ was TRIMMED/ with CHRIST/-mas ORN/-a-MENTS/ ga-LORE/

and packages were all brightly wrapped and tied with bows.
and PACK/-a-GES/ were ALL/ BRIGHT-ly/ WRAPPED and/ TIED with BOWS/ - 13 syllables

Family were laughing as snow began falling
FAM-i/-LY were/ LAUGH-ing/ as SNOW/ be-GAN/ FALL-ing/
That last foot can easily be fixed with "to FALL/", but the first 3 feet are still trochaic instead of iambic.

we marveled at the picture from the warmth inside.
we MARV/-eled AT/ the PIC/-ture FROM/ the WARMTH/ in-SIDE/

Santa was on his way; happy and excited
SAN-ta/ was ON/ his WAY/; HAP-py/ and ex-CIT/-ed
saint NICK/ was ON/ his WAY/, de-LIGHT/-ed WITH/ his ROLE/

children headed to bed in anticipation.
CHILD-ren/ HEAD-ed/ to BED/ in an-TIC/-i-PA/-tion.

We put finishing touches under the tree
we PUT/ FIN-ish-ing/ TOUCH-es/ UND-er/ the TREE/ - 11 syllables

and snuggled deep under covers 'till morning's light.
and SNUGG/-led DEEP/ UN-der/ COV-ers/ til MORN/-ing's LIGHT/
Fix the second and third feet with "be-NEATH/ the QUILT/"

Yet spirits unspoken gathered close around us.
yet SPIR/-its un-SPOK/-en GATH/-ered CLOSE/ a-ROUND/ us.

All our departed family, still they remained
ALL our/ de-PART/-ed FAM/-i-LY/ STILL they/ re-MAINED/

to celebrate with us this snowy festive night;
to CEL/-e-BRATE/ with US/ this SNOW/-y FEST/-ive NIGHT/;

each connection rejoined – tonight’s circle of love.
each conn-EC/-tion re-JOINED/ to-NIGHT'S/ CIRC-le/ of LOVE/. - The first 2 feet are anapests. We'll be getting to them later on.


Let the creativity flow from your soul!
Dave
"The Poet's Place "