Sudoku

[artemisdart]

I saw someone playing electronic Sudoku on the bus this morning. Reminded me of a "Trois-par-Huit" poem I wrote on the subject a year or two ago.

("Trois-par-Huit" -- a made-up modern poetic form I found on ShadowPoetry's list of poetic forms. At one point I was going to try to write one of each kind, just to see if I could... maybe I should take that up again.)

Anyway. My 3-6-9-12-12-9-6-3, aabbbccc poem:

Boxes nine
by nine in cursed design
pester me in columns and in rows,

and as my likely options fail, my madness grows.
For nine nonets half-filled with numbers, heaven knows,

conspire to thwart and tease with a clue,
and foil me through and through:
Sudoku.

Comments

[echsdoc.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! The poem looks like Herbert but sounds like you. You have a subtle mind and a labile ear. Absolutely great. (Are you sufficiently appreciated by those who know you as an actual physical person?)

[catherinew.livejournal.com]

Oooh, comparing me to George Herbert -- you flatterer, you. *cheesy grin* I think you just made my day.

I feel fairly well appreciated, yes. Poetry is one of those specialized areas where a general "wow, that's great!" doesn't go as far as a piece of constructive criticism from someone else interested in it, though. :-)

[echsdoc.livejournal.com]

Hey, actual criticism will cost you twice as much as cheap flattery.

[catherinew.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, twice as much? Well in that case, just keep on comparing me to famous poets represented in the Norton Anthology, and we'll call it good. ;-)