Written for dVerse Poets Pub–MTB:
Compounding the Stem. Our host,
Laura, challenges us to write a
poem using compound words
while following a specific
rhyme & syllable format
(see my notes below).
The wick ignites, a fragile spark,
and pushes back the waiting dark ….
Candlelight.
She spends the daytime at her post,
then works the night shift, coast to coast ….
Moonlighting.
A joke slips out, the room breaks free,
and laughter spreads like wildfire glee ….
Lighthearted.
The wine goes straight up to my brain,
the room begins to spin again ….
Lightheaded.
The architect draws windows wide,
to let the morning sun inside ….
Daylighting.
NAR©2026
Nancy’s Notes: The challenge is to write a compound word poem with 5 stanzas, each with 3 lines for a total of 15 lines. The rhyme scheme is a/a/b/ and the syllable meter is 8/8/3. The last line of each stanza includes a compound word using the same stem, e.g. commonly, commonplace, commonwealth, etc. The poem’s title includes the stem word.
This is “Blinded By The Light” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
Everything on the elephant trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicate, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.
The Elephant's Trunk 