Poetry Friday: Trying Out a Definito

Thanks to poet, author, and friend Laura Purdie Salas, I played around with a new form this week, a definito poem. The definito was created by Heidi Mordhorst, who defines it as “a free verse poem of 8-12 lines (aimed at readers 8-12 years old) that highlights wordplay as it demonstrates the meaning of a less common word, which always ends the poem.” You can read more about it here.

My first attempt (but not my first draft) was a poem I wrote for my poetry group, The Nevermores. The prompt was to write something spooky.

Eerie

a creaky freaky feeling
is creeping up my spine—
spooky,
sometimes kooky,
it fills my head with dread.
What’s around the corner
in this dark, deserted house?
I’m wary of this mystery—
it’s eerie!
Draft, 2022Rose Cappelli

Then for some reason the word “pristine” popped into my head. Dictionary definitions led me to words like “unspoiled, spotless, clean and fresh, new, in perfect condition.” I brainstormed things that might be considered pristine and thought of a lagoon, a white shirt, a well cared for garden, a field of snow, a white sandy beach. Combining words and images, this is what I came up with.

Pristine

fresh and new
like morning dew
sparkling on perfect petals

only snow
unspoiled,
untouched
by soot or foot

oh to roam
on a white sandy beach
soft,
spotless

pristine
Draft, 2022Rose Cappelli

Thanks, Heidi and Laura for pushing me to try something new. Tabatha has the Poetry Friday Roundup at her blog, The Opposite of Indifference. You’ll find more definitos there from the Poetry Sisters (thanks for letting me join in, by the way).