Steps (a Quadrille)

/ rothpoetry

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Guitar-fretted steps extended up beyond spacing
Climbing from the bottom sends my heart racing
These musical frets // are made for young ones chasing
Each other up and down // squealing // and with laughter piercing…
Like a violin being played sadly for the very first time

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

The word fret has several meanings. One means to fuss or complain. Another is to carve out in parallel lines, such as in architecture. Then there are the frets on a musical instrument like a guitar, which are brass strips placed at intervals and used for giving the strings varied pitches. Today at d’Verse Kim suggested we write a Quadrille, of only 44 words, using some form of fret! I have attempted to use it as an adjective describing a long set of steps at our local park. I saved this photo for the last two years trying to think of a way to use it in a poem. This was the perfect opportunity to do so.

40 thoughts on “Steps (a Quadrille)”

  10. I like the connection you make between literal steps and music. Looks like one step for every word to me. I sat through a lot of concerts when my kids were in school and all kinds of sounds come out of those instruments in the beginning 🙂

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  11. I’m so glad you picked up on the different meanings and incorporated your photograph of those very unusual step, Dwight! Perspective is wonderful, the ability to see guitar frets in steps and then extending the image into sadness and joy.

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  19. Carefully Crafted Shape poem, sifts seamless with the photo, I followed the frets down down down naturally into the words. Lot’s of guitars/violins this quadrille, I guess when we fret we might get strung out. Those steps are made for us all, but there is something special about a violin being played for the first time, and I feel your joy in the empathy of seeing youth explore and race and discover.

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    • Thank you Lona, I am not as young nor as skinny as I used to be. I leave climbing up and down for the young one. I love guitar and violin music. The steps and the instruments seemed to just come together! It was an interesting prompt.

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