I was following a thread here about heptadecameter (poetry with a 17-foot
line), and ran out of spare time just after somebody mentioned haiku,
which are 17 syllables long. But I took the concept of writing the Cycle
in 17-syllable LINES as a challenge.
I tried out a few possibilities and settled on anapestic hexameter
acephalous (confession: I just did a Web search to find the correct term),
which means... which means the lines that follow, in rhymed couplets, like
the original. At that length it seemed to want more structure, so I used
internal rhymes.
Can you guess which House gave me the most trouble? I've put the answer at
the bottom, after the original and some spoiler space.
Heptadecasyllabic Cycle
Mark A. Mandel Copr. 2005
The Phoenix is seen to decline by its preening or madness or vice.
The Dragon will fight at the hint of a slight; you need never ask twice.
The Lyorn will warn, as it lowers its horn, of the threat to your skin.
Tiassa will dream, and a plot, or a scheme, or an age may begin.
The Hawk in its flight, with the keenest of sight, sees all creatures
below.
But till the Dzur leaps, its own counsel it keeps, and its path none may
know.
Issola's smooth stillness, preparing the kill, gives no warning to prey.
Tsalmoth will maintain, although none can explain its mysterious way.
Vallista will tear down, and then will repair and rebuild what it
breaks.
Jhereg will look on till the hunter is gone, then the refuse it takes.
Iorich recalls everything that befalls it, for good or for ill.
Chreotha's tight nets hold the prey that it gets while it comes for the
kill.
The Yendi, concealed in the plain or the field, is unseen till it
strikes.
The Orca will seek out the old and the weak; then it takes what it
likes.
The Teckla lies low in the grass, hoping no other beast will espy.
Jhegaala will shift into forms ever different as time passes by.
Athyra will find by the power of mind, and its prey will entice.
The Phoenix, reborn, all corruption will scorn, for its soul has no
price.
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The original:
PHOENIX sinks into decay
Haughty DRAGON yearns to slay.
LYORN growls and lowers horn
TIASSA dreams and plots are born.
HAWK looks down from lofty flight
DZUR stalks and blends with night.
ISSOLA strikes from courtly bow
TSALMOTH maintains though none knows how.
VALLISTA rends and then rebuilds
JHEREG feeds on others' kills.
Quiet IORICH won't forget
Sly CHREOTHA weaves his net.
YENDI coils and strikes unseen
ORCA circles, hard and lean.
Frightened TECKLA hides in grass
JHEGAALA shifts as moments pass
ATHYRA rules minds' interplay
PHOENIX rise from ashes grey.
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Tsalmoth is a pain, because Steve won't explain the thing, plead as we
may.
-- Mark A. Mandel
http://cracksandshards.com
a Steven Brust Dragaera fan website
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