An inch the moon moved, me eyeing
through sleepless lids I lay dying:
apple-fed.
Dim my sight, breath weakening
death’s poison ever strengthening:
apple-cursed.
Whispered prayers, hurried words of flesh
plead soul’s deliverance afresh:
apple-damned.
Darkness now floods the mind distraught
I would, I could, but I cannot:
apple-bent.
God’s Son whose flesh my guilt impaled
On cross for me o’er death prevailed:
apple-freed.

Grace at dVerse challenges us today to write a Compound Word Verse, an unfamiliar form to most ous I daresay. She writes: "The Compound Word Verse is a poetry form invented by Margaret R. Smith that consists of five 3-line stanzas, for a total of 15 lines. The last line of each stanza ends in a compound word and these compound words share a common stem word which is taken from the title. (In the first example below the stem word is “moon” from the title “Moonlighting”; the compound words related to the title are moondust, moonbeams, moonsongs, etc.) The Compound Word Verse (3 lines) has a set rhyme scheme and meter as follows: Rhyme Scheme: a,a,b Syllable/Meter: 8, 8, 3 Click on Mr. Linky to read more and join in!
Opening Iines hooks in the reader right away. Love the narrative from being apple fed, apple cursed to apple freed. Who knew we can make compund words of apple.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Grace, for your generous comments and also the introduction to a great verse form. It was a lot of fun to try out. As for apple, well, apples just seems to go with autumn!
LikeLike
The first four stanzas I had Snow White in mind, and then the fifth splashed that all over the rock of my faith. Well done indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Christopher! I’d completely forgotten about the possible misdirection until you reminded me. I’m glad you liked the poem.
LikeLike
Well written Dora.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Rob.
LikeLike
Love the title and the truth behind each verse, good one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
As usual…wow, well done! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, my dear! :>)
LikeLike
nice one Dora, you used the format well!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glad you liked it, Kate, thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
you’re most welcome
LikeLiked by 1 person
A most unusual and effective word choice, Dora! Lots of food for thought here (if you’ll excuse the pun :-))
LikeLiked by 2 people
I like how you picked an apple and (ex)pressed the gospel!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Lynn!
LikeLiked by 1 person
An incredibly creative way to utilize the word “apple” in your poem …. well done.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I got stuck on it every which way! Thanks, Helen!
LikeLike
You created some great apple compound words!! I just now realized I used my compound words in the 883 lines, and not at the end. OOPS
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Beverly. As to your 883 lines & compound words, rules are just guidelines, like the pirate captain says! 😀🙂
LikeLike
This is awesome! Last verse did it all for me!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Mary. I appreciate your commenting!
LikeLike
I like the way you invented your own words. The apple is such a wonderful fruit–it’s strange it has such negative associations. (K)
LikeLiked by 2 people
It may be ill-deserved, Kerfe. I’ve heard scholars suggest it may be the pomegranate that is intended given the geographical context. Which I could readily accept as I love me some apple pie!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see a structure of Creation-Fall-Redemption in this apple compound poem!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I couldn’t quite get in my favorite potential “compound word”: apple-pie! Next time. 😀🥧❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love apple pie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel the apple here representing the Original Sin… working your life to be apple freed. Very well written.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Björn. Exactly what I was going for, in my bulky compound-word way!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Brave & Reckless and commented:
Meet Dora at Dreams from a Pilgrimage. She’s awesome.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you!
LikeLike