The Poetry of Place

‘Tell me, Bright Muses, what brings us to turn-of-the-century Paris?’

‘I hope we’re here to fence!’

‘Don’t worry, Terp, we’ll enjoy a bit of parry and riposte before we return to Quantico. But before do that, we must sing for our supper, so to speak. Thus, without further ado … can either of you explain how this particular time and place relates to our duties?’

‘I know!’

‘Go ahead, Daisy.’

‘In the visual vocabulary of Extra Muros, pictures of French fencers from 1900 or so illustrate posts that promote the use of vibrant verbs.’

‘Precisely.’

‘Which active action words shall we celebrate?’

‘Today, we sing a paean to verbs that describe location.’

‘Isn’t that an … oxymoron?’

‘Not in the realm of poetry …’

‘Which all writers should visit …’

‘Often!’

‘Indeed. So, Terp, why don’t you start us out with your favorite ways to describe the lay of the land?’

‘How about … savannas stretch.’

‘Splendid. By the way, I love the alliteration.’

‘Twas thee who mentioned … poetree.’

‘Touché.’

‘Oh, I’ve got another.’

‘Please.’

‘Ridges rise.’

‘Nice. That also works for mountains, heights, hummocks …

‘… koppies, braes, tors, knolls …’

‘Not to mention hills, whether mole, ant, or fully fledged.’

‘Valleys hide, stretch, descend, rise, and run.’

‘Rivers also run …’

‘and flow, meander, wander, roll, glide, drift, and make their way to the sea.’

‘What about forests, copses, and other tree-filled places?’

‘Forests lie, sit, stand, and rise. Indeed, they do those things interchangeably, which, if you ask me, ranks as a mighty marvel.’

‘They also flourish, extend, and extend.’

‘Now, Sisters, isn’t that more fun than saying “is located”?’

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