Hello, friends. I have two pieces of good news. First, my entry for the Trifecta “Week 35 Challenge,” which ran an entire month, was cited as the second-place winner – check out all three Trifecta winning entries at THIS LINK, including my friend Misky (Da winner and still champeen!!), and a new friend, Lucy Robinson Miller in third place.
Also, another great friend, Lady Nimue, edited the latest edition of the ezine, Fried Eye, and one of my poems is in there as well! So a big week, and truthfully, I needed the lift, so thanks, Nimue, for asking… and thanks to the folks at Trifecta for always having a wonderful challenge.
Detour Ahead? (an etheree)
Where
he leads
she follows
Whether he’s right
she dares not question
If she does, usual
answer, the back of his hand
Unfortunate girl, brought up by
a mother whose own questions were rare
Mirrors mock them both: Their “normal,” scarred, scared
© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For Poets United (Follow/Lead and Usual/Rare).
NOTES: An etheree is ten lines with the first line having one syllable, the second two, and so on until you have ten lines with then syllables. There are variations. I only use form when it comes easily to my theme, and I hope Viv is proud of me! (She’s seen me struggle.)
The song “Detour Ahead” was (in my opinion) best sung by Billie Holiday, and best played instrumentally by pianist Bill Evans. Just in case you were wondering where the title of the poem came from. One of my favorite songs when I was in jazz clubs.
Sharp Little Pencil 
kaykuala
That’s wonderful Amy! My, you’re going places with your talents. Proud to see gems getting recognized in front of our eyes. Your writings encompassed varied matters and you take strong stands on many issues. It’s interesting and it’s an education many times over. Proud to be associated with you. Certainly more coming in the pipeline. Keep it coming, Ma’am! Keep at it!
Your etheree is wonderful! A challenging form. Might try one.
Hank
Sharp Little Pencil
Hank, Viv helped me conquer the etheree, along with Joseph Harker. It was a Poetic Asides challenge long ago and their praise for my first attempts, along with gentle suggestions, helped me gain confidence.
As for the rest, I thank you for the compliments and can only say that my aim for this blog is to educate, so I guess I’m doing OK, right? Social justice forever!~ Amy
vivinfrance
Double congratulations. The challenges at Trifecta are very stimulating.
Of course I’m proud of you – I always am – and I admire your etheree on a difficult subject.
ViV x
Sharp Little Pencil
From you, Viv, this is like manna. I appreciate the fact that you noticed how hard the subject was… and yet, it flowed so easily. Odd: A form with this subject attached. Must have been a stray synapse. Peace, Amy
lmkazmierczak
Congrats♫♪ I wasn’t familiar with an etheree. Interesting!
Sarav
Amy, congratulations! That is wonderful news and well deserved. Your words in this poem seem to echo that slap, made me wince. Great play on words at the end “scarred, scared”
Sharp Little Pencil
Ah, you liked the same part I did. Well, not “liked,” more like “appreciated.” Peace and thanks, Amy
ladynimue
wonderful etheree !! n it was a pleasure to have your poem in my edited volume ! thank you !!!
Mary
Amy, my hardiest congratulations to you as well. It is always wonderful feeling to have one’s talented recognized. Thanks so much for participating in Vice Versa. Too often a woman just follows her man without questioning. One would like to think this was more in the past than now, but I see it still in the present time. There are still so many women who believe that to just follow one’s man is ‘normal.’ No matter what she thinks!!!!
purplepeninportland
Congratulations! I will have to pop over and read these zines.