Poem 107: Hear the knelling

(Happy New Year one and all! I’m going to try and write more poetry this year, so the first three days (at least) of 2022 will be poems. The form of these three poems is from France and called a Kyrielle.)

Dear friends, please stop and breathe the flowers;
Enjoy their many shades of smell.
Don’t waste, but while away, the hours;
Yet hear the knelling of the bell.

Forget the busy city scene;
Its cluttered mess, its noise, its yell.
Dream instead of landscapes clean;
Yet hear the knelling of the bell.

The hope of birds to build their nests,
Another brood to sing and tell
Of how our planet’s truly blessed.
Yet hear the knelling of the bell.

Far quicker than you think can be
The world will worsen into hell.
By all means dance your footfalls free
Yet hear the knelling of the bell.

To hear the poem read aloud click HERE.

13 thoughts on “Poem 107: Hear the knelling

  1. umashankar

    That’s a beautiful poem, even through the saddening refrain. The French format is new to me, but it apparently is a classic style. It reminds me strongly of Matthew Arnold.

    Wish you a very happy New Year.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Bruce Goodman Post author

      Thanks Uma. And happy New Year to you too! The Kyrielle is based on the Roman Catholic Liturgy (the Kyrie = Greek for Lord have mercy). The Lord have mercy was repeated after each trope was announced, e.g. For the times I have been jealous, Lord have mercy, etc. The French turned it into a non-religious poetic form.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

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