Landon is a grandnephew. This smart and playful guy is one of my brother, Richardâ??s grandsons. Richard is one of my younger brothers who died last year on July 13, 2018. We didn't hold a funeral for him, but instead, had a "Celebration of Life" for him at a park where he loved to go. This picture was taken at that event. I asked Landon to pose for a picture by me, and this is what he came up with. That tree stood tall the whole time he was there, and likely for many years to come.

This poem is a Boutonniere.
The Boutonniere seems to be an exercise in writing in catalectic trochaic meter. In other words, the stress comes first in each metric foot (trochee), but the last foot of the line, drops the last unstressed syllable (catalectic), so the poem starts and completes on a stressed syllable. Trochaic tetrameter would be described as a a series of stressed (S) and unstressed (u) syllables as follows: Su / Su/ Su/ Su (tetrameter, 8 syllables). Catalectic trochaic tetrameter would be Su/Su/Su/S (7 syllables). This format was created by Ann Byrnes Smith.
The Boutonniere is:
1. Written in 13 lines.
2. It is metered in catalectic trochaic tetrameter. Su/Su/Su/S.
3. Rhymed. The rhyme scheme is: A1,A2,bbcccbddd,A1,A2
4. Refrained, L1 is repeated as L12 and L2 is repeated as L13.
If you know me, you know I especially like the two sets of triple rhymes.

This Photograph was taken by the author himself on August 18, 2018.

You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.