good morning dearest Damian thank you for the love on this I’m happy it spoke to you ❤️

How’s you Damian? I hacked this write to death! I like it, I hate it, LOL.
But I thank you just the same. I wanted to post something… Life is a bit busier lately, yet I still always have the craving to write and/or edit something.
Del was here for ten days this time. And it’s always too short a visit.
You take care out there, and have some awesome holiday times!

Thank you Amethyste. I appreciate your kind comment. This write was a struggle, so thank you for the note of encouragement.
Happy Holidays to you!

Hello Thomas!
This write has some good parts, and some clunky parts, I know. I’ve been all helter skelter with the transition of ideas reaching the written word. Yet I am sure we all have the lulls in our writes.
Have some happy holidays over on your corner of things. Then perhaps write something awesome, as you tend to do!

What a great word; Thrum.
The title/name I totally made up, because I wanted something different. It also helps me remember my writes, by giving them some unique titles. Yeah?
I appreciate the nod, Rob.
I hope you are doing very well and finding inspiration in your world. It’s there, amigo. Just grasp it.

Hey Fia! I had to feed my page something! LOL. I beat this write to death, and unfortunately it shows some scars! Choppy stanzas and such. But I’m moving on from it. I have a pretty good idea of what to write next. I just have to apply the time and mood to it. Soon!
How’s you?!

Thank you Thomas, again. I’m trying!

You don’t ever owe me a comment. As long as you wear my t-shirts like you do… That itself is quite a statement!
As you know, there is no specific “Tey Saree”. It’s an image from my mind wandering like it does. Which is filled by you.
I just come up with names to title them, so it doesn’t get too repetitive.
`I just had a bag of popcorn for my bedtime snack. I’m a rebel! Thats why I buy toothbrushes in bulk.

Hey, I missed you as soon as that shuttle pulled away! What a great time we had, punk!
I love you too babydoll. I’m still smitten!

hello dearest Damian thank you graciously for the love here it’s felt deeply ❤️

thank you graciously dearest Thomas I was reading your poem and realizing my drug use puts me in danger much like your poem I would never intentionally kill myself but accidental could happen it’s sobering ❤️

thank you dearest Adagio I was drawing on my days in the past and my current addictions ❤️

hello dearest Damian thank you my friend ❤️

hello dearest Gus thank you for you interest I draw from the illusive thing called love ❤️

thank you beautiful Willow you feel so deeply I can tell by your comment thank you lovely soul ❤️

hello dearest Styxian it is a heaviness within me for all the beings I loved and let down… sometimes I feel I should never been given the chance to fail someone so utterly thank you for your beautiful thoughts ❤️

I’ve a theory, Fia 😏

Lines of poetry that most appeal are those the reader has felt and most easily relate to … either that, or have fantasized and dreamed.💫

I thought you might find a little bit of favor in this one.

Fia, your reviews are always like a happy hug!
Thank you ever-so warmly! ⁓ Richard🙏

Hello, Benjamin 🙏

It’s a distinct pleasure to meet you and to receive your graciously appreciative review for one of my humble pieces.

If you’d the mind to, I’ve no doubt you could use my American Sestet format to compose a virtual masterpiece of your own, that every poetess and poet would envy … and, I must take issue with your comment, “for undisciplined free-verse poets (such as myself)”. I say this, because there’s nothing simple or easy about Free Verse poetry … in fact, due to its lack of pre-set structure, it’s one of the most complex and skill required of all poetic forms, when composed properly.

Then, I thought seriously about whether to include the session on Free Verse from my group “Back to Poetry Basics” to explain why I said above, that “I must take issue with your comment.” And, decided, “Why not? It’s free and will exemplify exactly what I meant.”
I would love it if you join-in with the group, too: https://starsrite.com/groups/back-to-basics/

So, here it is:
~———————————•§•———————————~

SESSION THREE
Wednesday, November 11th, 2025
This session will be on the Free Verse form.

~———————————•§•———————————~

FREE VERSE

Because its unrhymed without a set meter or syllable count, the Free Verse is considered the most versatile of poetic forms. But, to be powerfully effective, it must flow smoothly and is NOT a narrative or prose form … it must have a poetic voice, spoken with rhythmic word-flow, with thoughts, feelings, emotion, and expressions grouped into verses, with appropriate line-breaks and enjambments.

“Properly” composed Free Verse poetry will display correct grammar, including capitalization and punctuation … in other words, composed in such a way that any reader can follow and understand what the author intends and wants them to grasp in rhythm, speed, mood, inference of thought, feeling,, meaning, and emotional timbre (‘tambor’ – voice quality, tone color, tonality, resonance, etc.

The heartbeat of Free Verse is imagery, metaphor, poetic syntax, and poetic voice, well-placed line-breaks and smooth enjambments.


“Iambics” work well with Free Verse, too.


There is no limit to lines or verses, topic or theme, mood, or otherwise.

(Free Verse example by one of my graduate students: her last name is coincidental … not a relative.)

COLOURS OF LOVE

“What do you think
when you look at me,”
you ask?

All I can do is stare,
teary-eyed,
speechless,
trying desperately
to find adequate words
in describing
such a beautiful life-form
standing before me.

“I see colors of love,
as I have never
seen them before,”
I finally say.

“I see tangerine hues …
fiery reds of new dawns;
saffron of rising moons
against star-sparkled
midnight blue
of nighttime skies.

I see golden suns,
silver glints dancing
in softly beckoning eyes
of …
fervent lovers.

I see rainbows,

flowers – I see, colors
laid at my feet
when kismet
first painted

You ~
into my lonely
black ’n white world.”

Dorina Jolene Jenkins
22 Nov 2012

~———————————•§•———————————~

We’ve covered a considerable bit, some of which you may already know and are merely brushing-up, while others are altogether new in the finer details of the Free Verse form.

Questions or comments? Make them here so we can all share, or if necessary, message me anytime and I’ll get back with you asap.

Lastly, write your own Free Verse poem from what you’ve learned so far. It can be about anything you conceive of. We can share them together next session and sort out anything that might be amiss … above all, “Enjoy!”

We’ll see ya after tomorrow’s lesson … ’til then, “Keep Freeversing!” 

~———————————•§•———————————~

Thank you sincerely, Benjamin, for the honor of receiving your appreciated approval, praise, inspiring words in review, and expressed enjoyment of this original American Sestets piece.

I like “gauzy”, too! ⁓ Richard🖌

Many thank yous, Damian 👌

It’s always a joy to have you select one of my humble pieces toshare, and to receive your gracious praise.

“Happy Holidays 🎀 Syr!” ⁓ Richard🖌

Many thanks, Thomas👍 (my brother’s name)

It’s always inspiring to receive your accolades.

Happy Holidays! ⁓ Richard🖌

It’s an honored joy, Gus 🌿

To receive such gracious words from a fellow poet who takes keen interest in poetic format.
From some years past, I am familiar with the Hickeldy Pickeldy Dutch form, and (unlike you) have composed but a few, one of which I’ll post for your entertainment.

I thank you most sincerely and appreciatively for your interest in my original form “American Sestets” … and, would be honored if you were to compose one of your own … we’ll call it a fair exchange, me with your Hickeldy Pickeldy, you with my American Sestets. 😃

As Bob Dylan sang, too, in his “Tangled Up With Blue ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwSZvHqf9qM ), “I’m keepin’ on keepin’ on”.
Kind regards, in-return, M’New Friend! ⁓ Richard🖌