𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬ᵖᵒᵉᵗʳʸ

𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴-21/3/21

21/3/2021

Since today is World Poetry Day, I decided to cover one of the more challenging forms I've come across...the Sestina! This one is a bit complicated so I'm going to redirect you here for more info.
https://www.writersdigest.com/personal-updates/sestina-6x6339-thats-math
https://medium.com/inspirefirst/how-to-write-a-sestina-how-to-be-a-better-writer-series-9800c3b464dd
But you basically pick six words as end words of each line and you rotate them in each stanza. In the following pattern (the numbers represent the words)
first stanza: 1,2,3,4,5,6, second stanza: 6,1,5,2,4,3 , third stanza: 3,6,4,1,2,5, fourth stanza: 5,3,2,6,1,4, fifth stanza: 4,5,1,3,6,2, sixth stanza: 2,4,6,5,3,1
 There are six stanzas with six lines each, and in the final 3-line 7th stanza (the envoi or tornada), you add 2 of the words you've picked per line. There's not a specific rhyming pattern, it doesn't have to rhyme, but the length of each line needs to be as consistent as possible (usually the same number of words per line but not mandatory). You can also alter the words you use but make sure they sound the same phonetically or are derivatives of the original word (ex. bear/bare, blessing, and blessed). The meter used is usually the iambic pentameter but it's not mandatory, and you can even make the words rhyme if you want. I won't be following the iambic pentameter because I have not fully grasped the concept yet, I know what it is but every time I try to write based on it, my brain gets stuck lol. 

A tired heart beating in her chest
the strained muscle doing its best
her pain she fashions into a crest
a banner she carries on her quest
for the wicked shall find no rest
until her fears melt into a jest.

Her battle deemed a laughable jest
as they ignite the fire in her chest
the hypocrites she won't let rest
sincerity they champion as best
on their tainted and muddled quest
to reach the top of a chimeric crest.

Preaching their gospel from that crest
she diverts her gaze from this cruel jest
pulse slows down herald of a new quest
the truth to shine she says it with her chest
as she's told that they know best
to shimmer down and give it a rest.

She must win the fight like the rest
victoriously to stake her worn-out crest
on sharp peaks, or planets would be best.
Would her cause still be deemed a jest?
Would they gift her with a treasure chest?
Might even say that they aided her quest.

Perhaps even say they started her quest
Claim the spoils, deny the jest
Boastfully puff their chest
Claim her banner and crest
Declare that they're not like the rest
And humbly say they did their best.

Have they ever known what's best?
They've spent their lives on corrupt quests
Laughing at those trying to change this jest
Addressing "lies", putting them to rest
Like peacocks raising their feather crest
Rising above it like a breath in the chest.

She releases the air from her chest and continues on doing what's best.
Her banner she grips with a bloodied crest onto a neverending quest.
She won't give in to rest until her efforts ascend from the status of a mere jest. 

___________________________________________________________
Okay, so my first mistake was getting ambitious and deciding to make the sestina rhyme lol. That proved to be quite restrictive because there are only a small amount of words rhyming with "best" and maybe not exactly fitting the narrative. However I was already in too deep to change that, so I decided to finish it. 
The poem is a bit messy and not focused on one thing particularly but on the tendency of the "doubters" to change their tune depending on the progression of events which I've seen a few times and it enrages me every time. 
I could've done much better but I feel like I'm completely drained when it comes to deeper and more specific topics because I've already exhausted those multiple times.