A Dame in Shame (monotetra)

by Meena Krish   Sep 30, 2015


Shade of the past calls, sets aflame...
to plague and slay life is its aim,
deprived happiness comes to claim
a broken dame, a broken dame;

Brief smiles dance in the arms of flame
while swallowed feelings live with blame,
caged thoughts sit still seeking no fame
crying in shame, crying in shame;

Pregnant moon dance on window frame
bringing to mind those hostile names,
storm of an angry past brought fame
leaving her lame, leaving her lame.

The monotetra is a new poetic form developed by Michael
Walker. Each stanza contains four lines in monorhyme. Each
line is in tetrameter (four metrical feet) for a total of eight
syllables. What makes the monotetra so powerful as a
poetic form, is that the last line contains two metrical
feet, repeated. It can have as few as one or two stanzas, or
as many as desired.

Stanza Structure:

Line 1: 8 syllables; A1
Line 2: 8 syllables; A2
Line 3: 8 syllables; A3
Line 4: 4 syllables, repeated; A4, A4

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Latest Comments

  • 8 years ago

    by Larry Chamberlin

    My sub-judge comment:
    Fabulous use of the form and the word choice as well. There's not a single forced rhyme, no departure from substance to inject mechanical coupling. (Although the dash in line two should NOT be there). The poem evokes a Grizabella - like image, the fallen, aged glamour queen immersed in misery, plagued by memories which, in retrospect, now are seen to lead inevitably to her current doom.

  • 8 years ago

    by alka mendiratta

    Congratulations on the win !!!!!

  • 8 years ago

    by Cindy

    Excellent job on this form.

  • 8 years ago

    by Koan

    This is truly a depressing exhale...Im very moved! I have never tried this form or heard of it
    Although your brilliant approach make this an easy form, it isnt! ~smiles~ You have fallowed the rules precisely and yet made it so poetic! Only real talents can do that... Now that I read this a few times I find myself wondering if the word "lame" should be changed to "tame" What do you think?

    • 8 years ago

      by Meena Krish

      Hey Koan thanks for the comment yes I thought about that too, but that would change the meaning of what I intended it to be..