I’ve been doing something creative with students in my Vocabulary Building with Latin and Greek Roots and Affixes courses on Outschool. We’ve been writing poetry using lists of words we have curated that share the same Latin or Greek root-word origin. I crafted this poem using words derived from the Latin verbs tenere “to hold,” and tendere “to stretch.” It is a fun but challenging exercise to think of ways to use a list of words like this in a short piece of writing, and compose something that makes sense.
Tense Letter to the Landlord
The tension of this tenancy is much too great to hold;
since living near a tenor is cacophonous, I fold!
He sings at every bloody hour, sustaining every note.
No opera does he fail to sing – he knows them all by rote!
His high notes are stentorian, fermatas are a thrill;
contending with the volume, though, requires heroic will.
I want to pound upon the door and ask him to pipe down,
but then he sings a show tune and it dissipates my frown.
Pertaining to his style, there is intention in his text.
I do adore those Sondheim scores – he sings those all the best.
Retaining me at this address necessitates a deal
whereby you give me rent reduced to justify the squeal.
The singer says that “squillo” every trained voice must contain,
so that it might o’er orchestra make glorious refrain.
But too much “squillo” makes me tense, inspiring me to move
into a place that has no Voice; I think it would behoove.
Extend my lease, but at a rate that compensates for noise,
so I can sleep without the aid of all my techy toys.
These earphones and these headphones, sir, my budget did distend,
but thanks to them and more white noise, my hearing’s on the mend!
I won’t pretend I can afford to move so far afield
this “squillo” will not through the door re-enter and appeal.
Yet who will sing me Sondheim when real shows I can’t attend?
I guess I’d best stay put and make this Caruso into a friend.
Karen Wieland
Copyright © 2021 by Karen M. Wieland, Ph.D
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