Saturday, March 2, 2019

He came with a little smile - a pantoum

                                                                                   Author: Pyramid8Ball.svg
Image: A Simple Hierarchical Structure (here) 

He came with a little smile, a toothy little smile
Broader it became as he got a little closer
Broke into small laughter and all the while
A quizzical stance hidden behind the laughter

Broader it became as he got a little closer
Seen this act a few times had seen it before
A quizzical stance hidden behind the laughter
Scheming intention, a suspicious one I gather

Seen this act a few times had seen it before
Upon reaching extended hand in friendly gesture
Scheming intention, a suspicious one I gather
Responded likewise not wanting to create a furor

A quizzical stance hidden behind the laughter
Began with a few good words without a falter
Scheming intention , a suspicious one I gather
The sling bag  is opened its contents spilled over

Began with a few good words without a falter
All the charts, the legs, the returns, too familiar
The sling bag  is opened its contents spilled over
I knew it, a ‘get-rich-quick’ a Ponzi as it were

All the charts, the legs, the returns, too familiar
Broke into a small laughter and all the while
I knew it, a ‘get-rich-quick’ a Ponzi as it were
He came with a little smile, a toothy little smile

Gina at d'Verse Poetry Forms - pantoum

13 comments:

  1. I like how that toothy little smile begins and ends your pantoum. It makes me think how the pantoum form hangs on that one line.

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  2. Interesting collection of thoughts in every line. Nicely told.

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  3. Seen the act and yet fell for it again.

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  4. Sure can weave a good tale, even when one knows that toothless smile sucks em in.

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  5. I like the way the repetitions build, as the narrator is reminding themselves of something. That toothy little smile seems quite innocuous in the first line, quite threatening by the end.

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  6. the toothy little smile had me beguiled! a lovely pantoum about how we can get easily charmed

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  7. I love the toothy little smile, at beginning and end. Nice one, Hank!

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  8. A wonderful poem Hank, made me have a toothy smile.

    Yvonne.

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  9. Love that “toothy little smile”. Perfect that it ended with that phrase.

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  10. I love the smile, the toothy little smile. Scams always start with a suspicious, toothy little smile.

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  11. The con man...we all know them. And the pantoum is very appropriate to them circling around with their nets of promises.

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  12. Oh I love how you've used the form to tell this story. You paint a vivid picture of this man with his toothy little smile and scheming intention.

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  13. ha - beware of his toothy smile...

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