Day 18: 

Through the Squall

Billow willow bearing winter,
Trembling to your heart of splinter.
I love your strength and graceful bold
And leaves rusted that once were gold.
Crown of ice and gown of north glow,
Through the squall you still say sge:no.

I love your strength and graceful bold
And leaves rusted that once were gold. 
Dancing even though you're weeping
Wading dunes of crystal, creeping. 
Crown of ice and gown of north glow,
Through the squall you still say sge:no.

Dancing even though you're weeping,
Wading dunes of crystal, creeping.
See you bending, never breaking
Neath the sting that sky is shaking.
Crown of ice and gown of north glow,
Through the squall you still say sge:no. 

See you bending, never breaking
Neath the sting that sky is shaking.
Billow willow bearing winter,
Trembling to your heart of splinter.
Crown of ice and gown of north glow,
Through the squall you still say sge:no.


ABOUT THIS POETRY FORM

A roundelay is a strict poetry form relying on repeating rhymes and a refrain in each stanza. 

It is a 24 line poem.
It uses four rhyming sixtains (six line stanzas) with 8 syllables per line.
It relies heavily on refrains.
Stresses on syllables sounds like DA-dum DA-dum DA-dum DA dum.
Rhymes: Strict rhyme pattern of:
Line 1: a
Line 2: b
Line 3: A1
Line 4: B1
Line 5: A2
Line 6: B2

Line 7: A1
Line 8: B1
Line 9: A3
Line 10: B3
Line 11: A2
Line 12: B2

Line 13: A3
Line 14: B3
Line 15: A4
Line 16: B4
Line 17: A2
Line 18: B2

Line 19: A4
Line 20: B4
Line 21: a
Line 22: b
Line 23: A2
Line 24: B2

Rhyming lines A2&B2 repeat in every stanza so this should be where to focus the main idea you're driving home. 

This was a difficult one. The strictness of it was defeating, especially the syllable stresses. I couldn't quite wrangle the proper words to capture the flow of things. 

This poem is about a tree that I appreciated recently, that stands alone in the middle of a parking lot on the rez. Also, I decided to squeeze at least one language word into each poem from now on, just to make myself suffer that little bit extra. It's good stress though, eustress, which boosts motivation, improves concentration, and supports performance under pressure. 

Cayuga langauge
Sge:no (scan-o) = hello