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Kate Sullivan's avatar

Jean, this is wonderful! Rhyme can be charming sometimes and cumbersome others. Here, the lack of rhyme lets your story soar, lets the words sing.

…les pleuerueses,

gentle-hearted women

Clad in black and funereal crepe

Who could weep on command…

Gorgeous. I loved reading about les pleureuses! Made me think of the ‘sin-eaters’, who served the same purpose in old Ireland and Scotland. They mourned in exchange for a loaf of bread and some beer.

Bravo!

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Jean Pouliot's avatar

Thank you! I'm not sure how much more I'll stay with rhyming. It does help sometimes to send the poem in unexpected directions. But I am also enjoying the flow of writing in the meter of my mind.

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Kate Sullivan's avatar

‘The meter of my mind’ … perfect

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