Hard slamming water in cold sheets was pelting me.
Misery cloaked me, despair was a hostile guide,
thunder applauded itself in its vanity,
lightning was fierce, as I sought a safe place to hide.
Crackling white light! I espied a deep cavity
whittled from stone by the rusty dull blades of time.
With that discov’ry, I went with alacrity,
not minding mud or the slime, I began to climb.
But . . .
When I thought I had found me a dry hideaway,
there was something behind me in that narrow space.
Not a moment of keeping my terror at bay,
and I dared to be hopeful of winning the race.
A deep breath, I positioned my feet for the run,
with my heart beating faster than any tattoo.
Would escape be successful when all's said and done?
Well, dear reader, the ending I’ll leave up to you.
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Author Notes
Tattoo: a drumbeat or bugle call that signals the military to return to their quarters.
I first saw this poetry form when Treischel posted one.
The GALLOPING DENTURN is a poetry form invented by Dennis William Turner, writing on the All Poetry website. So you can guess the derivation of "Denturn."
It is comprised of two DACTYLIC Tetrameter Quatrains stating a point of view. A Dactyl consists of a 3 syllable foot. So a Tetrameter has four feet, or 12 syllables, with a hard stress on the first syllable, followed by 2 unstressed (Dum-da -da).
This is followed by a stand-alone one, two or three syllable word or phrase. For example: but -unless -but then - although - until, - however etc.,
Providing the TURN.
The concluding two Quatrains, are written in ANAPESTIC Tetrameter, to make the argument, (emphasized by the change of meter). Anapestic meter is the opposite of Dactylic. It starts with 2 unstressed syllables followed by a stressed one, per foot (da-da-Dum).
The Galloping aspect comes from the 3 syllable feet of both meters, which are more flowing than the 2 syllable foot of an Iambic Meter. So I guess a Denturn written in Iambic Tetrameter would be called a Marching Denturn, and have 8 syllable lines.
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