English 352: Forms of Poetry Rondeau Contest Runner-Up

Dirty Hands

With dirty hands, you pass it on,
The money that you've worked for, gone.
The products lined on every shelf,
Calling out, “Take this for yourself!”
Companies use you as their pawn,

Claiming that it's never a con,
Pulling you in with some icon,
Into the stores you delve
With dirty hands.

They tell you things, an illusion
Of large words in flashing neon.
You let them add to all their wealth,
And line their pockets with no stealth
To climb up in the echelon,
With dirty hands.

Bobbi Evans

BIO: Bobbi Evans is currently an undergraduate student at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.

English 352: Forms of Poetry Rondeau Contest Runner-Up

The Votes are In

The votes are in. The tension high,
All are eager to know which guy;
The one on the left? The one on the right?
This is what we do to avoid a fight
While CEOs leave the needy out to dry.

Seemingly, normal: we all stride by
While looking for answers to fall from the sky.
We flip a coin based on four years hind-sight.
The votes are in.

All the while, a voter asks why
For control of the nation, only two can even try?
And when the votes are in, and to no delight
We erect another scarecrow whoʼs probably white.
And then weʼll swim in seas of lies.
The votes are in.

Sam Weber

BIO: Sam Weber is a student studying English and Film at Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, Illinois).

English 352: Forms of Poetry Rondeau Contest Winner

Sounds of the City

I sleep in silence that creaks and moans
from upstairs neighbors' ringing telephones
and outside I hear the day grow
as garbage trucks begin to roll
and the trains quaking trussels groan.

Sleep will escape since I do not own
earplugs or CDs where wilderness roams.
I do not live where the west winds blow,
I sleep in silence.

Outside, lost lovers try to atone
for past sins and the stench of cologne.
Yet, in my dreams, no noise below,
the dirt street painted white with snow.
Here I find peace of my own,
I sleep in silence.

Rheanna Pulley

BIO: Rheanna Pulley is currently a English Major with Creative Writing Concentration at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.

Back from the Dead Again!!! Rondeaus Don't Die; They Multiply!

Dear Readers:
Another year, another re-launch for the Rondeau Roundup Blog! Glad to be back for Spring 2012!

Very soon, I will be posting the results of the English 352: Forms of Poetry Rondeau Challenge. Every time I teach a forms of poetry class, I challenge my students to write and perform a rondeau in front of the class. This year's winners will be posted here on the blog!

Until then, here's a shameless (or shameful, depending on your point of view) rondeau modeled off of Paul Laurence Dunbar's famous rondeau "We Wear the Mask," with a nod to that great contemporary poet, Chris Rock:


Clear Heels: A Rondeau

We wear the heels that hurt our feet,
spray on perfume that’s extra sweet,
buy clothes that make the boys all stare—
rock booty shorts, and dye our hair,
all of our gear low, tight, and neat.

Attracting men? We can’t be beat;
all ugly girls we will defeat.
We never said that life was fair.
We wear the shoes

that make your boyfriends want to cheat
on you. Be careful we don’t meet
or else they’ll fall in love. We swear
we’ll have them drooling, if you dare.
God made us fly, so cute, petite.
We wear the shoes.


Allison Joseph