After the Curtain Call...at the Masked Ball

Image courtesy of BibliOdyssey

The Empire Theatre

Up in Box Twelve, she waves

a single perfect rose

at one actor, who saves

a smile for her: she knows

after the curtain call,

they’ll elope at the Ball.

Intrigue for ingénue.

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Notes: The form is called 'Poesia di Tema.'  It was created by Marie Elena Good for Robert Lee Brewer's Poetic Asides' Form Challenge.  Marie and her 'virtual' bff Walt Wojtanik have created a lovely poets' site in order to encourage and nurture poets.  It's called Poetic Bloomings, and today is In-Form Poet's Day, where new forms are introduced and highlighted.  You can learn more about Marie's form there.

As for the inspiration for my poem (beyond the challenge of trying a new form) I found some really fascinating pictures at BibliOdyssey.  The one I used for this poem was artwork from a 1922 program cover from New York's Empire Theatre.  It enlivened me think about the masked balls which at one time were held at theatres and operas houses in the US and abroad.  The way the lady in the drawing holds her rose and gazes out in the distance told me all I needed to get started with the narrative.

On another note:  Poets United's Sherry Blue Sky just posted an awesome interview with writer/poet extraordinaire Kim Nelson.  It's a terrific read and I highly recommend it.