The Night I Tied Up My Lover "Pantoum"

The Night I Tied Up My Lover

The night I tied up my lover.
He came in my room through the window
I saw his shadow on the wall,
as he held the blinds cautiously to delete the noise.

He came in my room through the window,
with only the light of March to guide his way.
As he held the blinds cautiously to delete the noise
I could see his eyes glowing like a tangerine iceberg afloat.

With only the light of March to guide his way
He quickly lifted his body to pull himself in,
I could see his eyes glowing like a tangerine iceberg afloat.
While he pulled himself in I dashed for my rope.

He quickly lifted his body to pull himself in
barely missing my dog that rested under the window pane.
While he pulled himself in I dashed for my rope.
Within seconds I had my rope positioned ready to strike.

Barely missing my dog that rested under the window pane
I saw his shadow on the wall.
Within seconds I had my rope positioned ready to strike.
The night I tied up my lover.

By: Shanterica Brooks


How to write Pantoums
The Pantoums is an oral form from of French poetry developed in the 15th century. Americans adopted the method of Pantoums as a way to use repetition of lines, no rhyme scheme and no set poem length. Pantoums are made entirely of quatrains. The first quatrain uses four lines that set up the pattern of the Pantoums. The second quatrain uses the second and fourth lines from the first quatrain as its first and third lines; these are the refrains. The second and fourth lines of the second quatrain are new to the poem. The third quatrain uses the second and fourth lines of the second quatrain as its refrains in the first and third line positions. The third quatrain's second and fourth lines are new to the poem. The fourth quatrain uses the second and fourth lines of the third quatrain as its first and third lines. The pattern ends in the final quatrain. The final quatrain uses the second and fourth lines of the preceding quatrain as its first and third lines and the first line as the last line.
This is my first Pantoums poem. This poem allowed me to take words given by Mrs. Parks and create a scenario that fits my personality. I chose “tied up my lover,” because it’s interesting and allows me to step out of my boundaries.