The Water Meets My Needs
A leaf drifts slowly past me,
going where the current leads.
As my paddle meets the water,
the water meets my needs.
Each time, there’s something new
to experience, discover.
The water meets my needs
as my paddle meets the water.
From heron standing on the shore
to ducks concealed in bankside reeds.
As my paddle meets the water,
the water meets my needs.
Many rewards can be found
in each scene I encounter.
The water meets my needs
as my paddle meets the water.
This poem is my response to Poetry Form: Mirrored Refrain, the prompt from Grace at dVerse ~ Poets Pub. A mirrored refrain is formed by three or more quatrains where two lines within the quatrain are the “mirrored refrain” or alternating refrain.
The rhyme scheme is as follows: xaBA, xbAB, xaBA, xbAB, etc.. (x represents the only lines that do not rhyme within the poem. A and B represent the refrain.)
rivrvlogr 
Beautiful. Peaceful…
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Thank you.
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This is excellent, Ken.
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🙂 Thank you, Robbie.
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Very beautiful and serene, I can imagine the rush of the water and the heron. ❤
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Thank you, Lucy. I don’t see a heron every time, but it’s a highlight when I do.
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Beautifully done – the reiteration feels very natural, paddling through your thoughts …
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Thank you, Jazz. There’s a dichotomy when I’m on the water — relaxing while paddling, and (especially) letting my thoughts wander while processing all that I see.
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Ken, your poem is beautiful and feels like a fresh morning.
With the gentle repetition at the end of each stanza I feel like a song is being
sung.
Miriam
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Thank you, Miriam. When I can be on the water it’s a welcome morning.
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I was as much IN the water as I was On the water yesterday, Ken…
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Ah, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
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Lovely, Ken. There’s a nice lulling rhythm to this, too.
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Thank you, Merril. Once I had the refrain, the rest wasn’t too hard to imagine.
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Yes, I think with this type of poem you have to come up with the refrain first.
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You capture the feel of paddling on the water beautifully with all its nuances, perfect rhythm, perfect repetition.
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This turned out so well Ken I’m having such difficulty pulling mine together🙂. I think I need to adjust my refrain. Go on Maestro!! 🙂
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Your poem has the incantatory magic Grace spoke of ….. sigh.
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Thank you. ❤
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You took me there, Ken! This is expertly wrought 🙂 the stanzas carrying with them the rhythm of both kayak and currents 💝💝
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🙂 Thank you, Sanaa.
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Oh, I do enjoy nature poems and the water does meet my needs. Great choice in repetitive lines. That photo of the heron is fantastic! I took some great photos this week. I even caught one in flight. Now, I want to take my canoe out on the water.
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Any excuse to be on the water works for me. 😉
Thank you. 🙂
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This is so soothing – love the gentle flow of it.
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Thank you.
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This is another love poem. You do them so well, whoever/whatever is the object.
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Love poem – I like that thought.
Thank you, Jane.
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🙂
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Lovely poem, Ken!
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Thanks!
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I like the two different uses of meets in the refrains, yet each has the same urgency to it. Where would you and the paddle be without the water? Cleverly done with lots of vivid images to support the refrain.
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Thank you, Lisa. Water does inspire me.
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You’re welcome.
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What a lovely sight to have seen that heron and ducks. Beautiful lines from nature & very soothing to read. Thanks for joining in.
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Thank you, Grace.
And thanks for the prompt.
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“The water meets my needs” – and how often so many of us take water for granted! When so many the world over don’t have this simple resource. A good reminder 🙂
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Thank you. 🙂
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Your verses took me on a scenic ride! The refrain is so well done, I could hear the water splashing in my head!
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Rolling good refrain, Ken!
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thanks, Sara!
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