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Lucky Dip – Saturday Mix, 22 May 2021

Welcome to the Saturday Mix – Lucky Dip, 22 May 2021!

For this week’s Lucky Dip, I have reached into my mystery bag and pulled out a Tetractys. The topic is up to you!

You may be thinking to yourself, What on earth is a Tetractys?

Luckily, Shadow Poetry has an explanation…

Tetractys

Tetractys, a poetic form invented by Ray Stebbing, consists of at least 5 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10syllables (total of 20). Tetractys can be written with more than one verse, but must follow suit with an inverted syllable count. Tetractys can also bereversed and written 10, 4, 3, 2, 1. 

Double Tetractys:  1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1

Triple Tetractys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 10

and so on.

“Euclid, the mathematician of classical times, considered the number series 1, 2, 3, 4 to have mystical significance because its sum is 10, so he dignified it with a name of its own – Tetractys. The tetractys could be Britain’s answer to the haiku. Its challenge is to express a complete thought, profound or comic, witty or wise, within the narrow compass of twenty syllables.” – Ray Stebbing

Example

Freedom

free 
from you
your ego
your blaming me
i am a free spirit who has no past

Copyright © 2001 Terri Anthony

Good luck with your ‘Lucky Dip Tetractys’ – I can’t wait to see what you come up with! Don’t forget to tag ‘Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie’, ‘Saturday Mix’, and hashtag #LuckyDip.

As always, make sure you link your fabulous creation to the helpful Mister Linky.

20 comments

  10. […] MLMM Sat Mix May 22 Lucky Dip: Tetractys, a poetic form invented by Ray Stebbing, consists of at least 5 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10syllables (total of 20). Tetractys can be written with more than one verse, but must follow suit with an inverted syllable count. Tetractys can also be reversed and written 10, 4, 3, 2, 1. //Double Tetractys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1 // Triple Tetractys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 […]

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