From Universe to particles

Original working of this poem against
galactic spiral pattern

and a further version against a CGI image

named 'Gaseous Exoplanet'

It was good to experience excitement at being introduced to something new. Until last weekend I had never encountered the ‘Diamante’ form of a poem. Not only was I introduced to it but I had the gift of time to write in that form  and to paint a background for it all in the space of a Retreat. I was privileged to be present at a ‘Cursillo’ (see link at bottom of this entry) retreat to help with the computer projection of slides of Stanley Spencer’s ‘Christ in the Wilderness’ pictures and there was on offer a short session on ‘Having Fun with Words’. So, many thanks to Helen Randall for bringing this idea of the ‘Diamante’ back from St Bueno’s*.

The idea is that the top and bottom single words are opposites.
Line 2 are adjectives relating to the line 1 subject.
Line 3 are verbs relating to the line 1 subject
Line 4 has 2 nouns relating to the line 1 subject and 2 nouns relating to the line 7 subject
Line 5 has three verbs related to the line 7 subject
Line 6 has two adjectives relating to the line 7 subject
Line 7 subject word

The concept was just perfect for thinking about the universe at macro and micro level - so the poem built very quickly once I had decided on the beginning and end.

And, the whole is woven around ‘created’ in the second line. What a delightful couple of hours! A further entry on this blog will be in another novel mode, to me, the cinquain form.

As promised above, here is a link which will lead you to information on the Cursillo movement which excels at encouraging Christians building their faith and to greater service in their faith.

*Information on St Bueno’s retreat house and spirituality centre can be found HERE. If you are a protestant about to access this site - do not be deterred that it is a Jesuit site: they offer their centre to people of all denominations.