Breathe in
Slowly exhale
Breathe in hope for this day
Exhale yesterday’s lost moments
Breathing
Child’s pose
Kneel – stretch – relax
Childlike falling asleep
Gentle drift into surrender
Child’s play
Tree pose
Balanced, focused
Tree branches reaching up
Standing tall on one foot, grounded
Tree roots
Yoga
Outer/inner
Yoga – yuj – means unite
Inner/outer join together
Yoga
This week’s W3 prompt from PoW Khadija is to write a cinquain, a five-line poem, using repetition to give one word or phrase new meaning as the poem unfolds. She further challenges us to “begin at least three lines with the same word or short phrase. This is called anaphora.”
Five lines: Use this syllable pattern: 2–4–6–8–2. That means two syllables in the first line, four in the second, six in the third, eight in the fourth, and two in the last.
A repeated beginning: Start at least three of those lines with the same word or short phrase.
Any subject: a feeling, a place, a memory, or an ordinary moment.
I do NOT claim to be a yoga expert.
Several years ago I took my first yoga class. Once I got over the awkwardness of my inability to hold poses the way some of the others in the class did — and being reminded repeatedly that yoga is NOT a competition — I found great value in simple poses.
Last week, when I was traveling, I found myself at times focusing on my breathing (see Aggressive Driving) and at other times doing Child’s Pose on the floor to stretch out my achy back. When I got back to work on Monday, I needed a little time for Tree Pose, which requires focus, and somehow makes me more inwardly balanced as I outwardly balance.
Yoga helps me immensely in so many ways… I am no expert either, but each breath feeds every part of the body… lovely Sally 💞
Yes — the foundation is the breathing and it all builds on that. Thank you for your kind words.
Yoga is indeed best ❤️
Loved this! Those poses give us comfort and balance, and yoga is meditative. 👍☺️
Sally, this is such a beautiful way to take the prompt further, four little cinquains that build into something bigger. I especially love how it all lands on that last stanza, yoga coming from “yuj,” meaning unite, it ties the whole sequence together so naturally. Breath, child’s pose, tree pose, and then that etymological reveal at the end feels earned, not forced. Such a thoughtful, well-structured piece.
Thank you so much. When I started, I knew I couldn’t say what I wanted to say with just one cinquain. I have such a wordiness problem 🙂
Ha, I’d say the wordiness worked in your favor, Sally! Four stanzas gave the poem room to breathe, and the ending earned it. Thanks for taking the prompt further. 😊
Thanks for your kind words. “Room to breathe” — yes.
That’s the heart of it. 😊💚
Wow Sally! This is really a lovely series of cinquains – and all linked together! You moved from the poses to the result if yoga!
Aw, thank you!
Nicely done, a seamless stream of cinquains. And a beautiful, succinct description of some yoga poses.
Thank you. I don’t really know a lot of yoga, but these are practices I actually do sometimes at home.
Wow, Sally. Loved the series of cinquains.
Thanks Indira!
Sally, I love how “Breathe in hope” sets the mood for this peaceful journey from letting go to standing tall!
~David
I find yoga very grounding (although I don’t practice faithfully!) and you capture how the breathing and poses work to attain that grounding in your series of cinquains.
hi, Sally❣️
Just wanna let you know that this week’s W3, hosted by our beloved Destiny, is live until Monday, October 12:
Much love, David