LesleyScoble.com

Lovelorn on Hustler Hill

What thing is love? for sure love is a thing
Our eyes upon one double string;
Come when the nights are bright with stars
Through the blinds and the windows and bars; 

There are dreams in the air 
The wind flap’s loose, the wind was still,
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
I so liked Spring last year…
            Because you were here; – 

What fancy was it turned your brain?
When we came to Hustler Hill

I shall not. Hear the nightingale
What bird so sings, yet does so wail 
And fills the sky above

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one 
But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling
Sung on, as if in pain;
To Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love
I cried to dream again
~

Lesley Scoble (and 13 other poets), July 2024

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Index of the poems I borrowed a line from for my cento

What thing is love? for sure love is a thing | What Thing is Love? by George Peele (1558-1596)
Our eyes upon one double string | The Ecstasy by John Donne
Come when the nights are bright with stars | Invitation to Love by Paul Dunbar 
Through the blinds and the windows and bars; | Escape at Bedtime by Robert Louis Stevenson

There are dreams in the air – Let the light pour in by Lemn Sissay
The wind flap’s loose, the wind was still, | The Woodspurge by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1826-1882) 
The river glideth at his own sweet will: | Upon Westminster Bridge (1802) by William Wordworth
I so liked Spring last year…
            Because you were here; – | Charlotte Mew (1869-1928)

What fancy was it turned your brain? | Apparent Failure by Robert Browning
When we came to Hustler Hill | Manners by Elizabeth Bishop

I shall not. Hear the nightingale | Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats
What bird so sings, yet does so wail | Welcome to Spring by John Lyly ( c. 1553-1606)
And fills the sky above	| Let the light pour in by Lemn Sissay

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one | W.H. Auden
But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling | The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe
Sing on, as if in pain; | Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894)
To Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love | The Divine Image by William Blake (1757-1827)
I cried to dream again | The Tempest by William Shakespeare

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I wrote my cento poem in response to the W3 Weekly Poetry Prompt #114. Hosted by David, The Skeptics Kaddish. The Poet-of-the-Week was Dawn Minott.

To read Dawn’s prompt guidelines, please open here.

Dawn’s prompt guidelines

• FORM: Cento
• THEME: Love

A cento is a poem formed of lines from poems written by others. Cento is Latin for ‘patchwork’ and is composed like a collage or quilt. It is intended to honor other poets’ poems while presenting your unique work.

Here’s your chance to give homage to your favorite poets. Compose a cento on love. It can be any length.

Essentially, a cento is composed of lines of poetry from other poets’ works. For this prompt, please weave together as many lines of poetry from other people’s poems (of your choice) as you’d like.

Thank you, Dawn, for boggling my mind with attempting to construct a cento! My thanks to David, for hosting his motivational and enjoyable weekly prompts.

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Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.