Siren Call: An Ecological Rictameter Poem
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The Siren Call of Monarch Migrations
Monarch
Caterpillars,
Transformed in still cocoons,
Emerge, no longer touching earth,
But defy gravity in soaring flight ---
Passing from nectar escapades ---
To follow instinct's call:
A journey south
But why?
The Rictameter
The rictameter can be used in poetry. It is organized around nine lines of expression. It requires beginning and ending lines of 2 syllables each.
Each line in between the beginning and the ending is organized according to a specific number of syllables. The second and the eighth lines each must have no more and no less than 4 syllables. The third and the seventh lines each need 6 syllables. The fourth and the sixth lines each require 8 syllables. The fifth line takes 10 syllables.
The structure of the rictameter looks as follows:
- First line: 2 syllables
- Second line: 4 syllables
- Third line: 6 syllables
- Fourth line: 8 syllables
- Fifth line: 10 syllables
- Sixth line: 8 syllables
- Seventh line: 6 syllables
- Eighth line: 4 syllables
- Ninth line: 2 syllables.
The rictameter poem therefore may be considered as structurally made up of 2 parts. Each part will have 4 lines, with a total of 20 syllables each. A line in between the 2 parts will include 10 syllables, for a rictameter total of 50 syllables.
As much as it is structured, the rictameter poem also is unstructured. Specifically, it makes no demands as to meter. It likewise puts no requirements as to a rhyme scheme.
The rictameter is an invention of the 20th century. It owes its existence to the creative genius of Jason D. Wilkins and Richard W. Lunsford, Jr., cousins and poetry enthusiasts. The two poets met on a weekly basis to share their poetic creations. They scheduled their weekly discovery as part of their Brotherhood of the Amarantos Mystery. They traced their inspiration for their creative endeavors to seeing the movie “Dead Poet’s Society.”
“Dead Poets Society” is a film by Australian film director Peter Lindsay Weir (born August 21, 1944). It received 4 Oscar nominations: best actor in a leading role, best director, best original screenplay, and best picture. It won the nomination for best original screenplay of 1989.
The screenplay for the movie fictionalized actual experiences. It was written by Thomas H. Schulman (born October 20, 1950). The Nashville-born screenwriter wrote the story from his own experiences as a teenager attending prep school in Tennessee.
Thomas attended the Montgomery Bell Academy. The MBA was a preparatory school for male students between the seventh and the twelfth grades in Nashville. Samuel F. Pickering Jr. (born September 30, 1941), then an English teacher at the MBA, now English professor at University of Connecticut-Storrs, was the model for the notion of inspirational teaching of poetry in the movie.
The Monarch Butterfly
The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is one of the best known and most beloved of all butterflies in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America. It also may be called the Milkweed butterfly. In fact, that will be the name by which it is heard referred to in Cornwall, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, where it can be an infrequent migrating visitor.
The butterfly can be recognized by its bold, bright colors. It has an orange color, which is more yellow in females. It also includes black as a female and brown as a male in terms of its body and wing borders.
The Monarch cannot be missed for many reasons. It draws attention because of the cheery pattern of white dots along its wing edges. It also is noticeable because of its wingspan of about 3-1/2 to 4 inches (8.9 to 10.2 centimeters).
Additionally, it makes it very obvious what it likes to eat. It prefers the milkweed plant:
- Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa);
- California milkweed (Asclepias californica);
- Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca);
- Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata).
But it also will be found nectaring from the following plants:
- Alfalfa (Medicago sativa);
- Asters (Aster spp);
- Common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum);
- Dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis);
- Golden rods (Solidago spp);
- Gregg's blue mistflower (Eupatorium greggli);
- Horseweed (Erigeron canadensis);
- Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum);
- Lilac (Syringa vulgaris);
- Red clover (Trifolium pretense);
- Spotted Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum);
- Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum);
- Tall ironweed (Vernonia altissima);
- Teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris);
- Thistles (Cirsium spp);
- Wild carrot (Daucus carota)
Additionally, the monarch may be seen indulging in surprise behaviors around unexpected food sources. For example, it sips the sweet juice from fruits such as orange slices or watermelons chunks. The male often will be seen mud-puddling the minerals and moisture from moistened gravel and soil.
The monarch can mate in spring. The mating happens upon the return of the monarchs that migrate to and from coastal California and central Mexico. The arduous migration occurs every year. It takes place to the puzzlement of citizen scientists and scientific researchers who now more than ever seek to understand why monarchs alone among butterflies make such a demanding north-south migration and how they manage to pull off 14 days worth of travel at a rate of about 50 miles (80 kilometers) a day.
Monarch eggs are deposited on milkweed plant leaves in spring and summer. They will be elliptical in shape and pale yellow in color. They will hatch in four days.
The newly hatched caterpillar eats its own egg case and then the surrounding milkweed. It remains as a caterpillar for about 2 weeks. It then will make a cocoon which hangs down from a leaf or twig and in which it will be encased for about 2 weeks.
A butterfly emerges from the broken cocoon. Within a few hours, it will be able to fly off in search of goldenrod, milkweed flowers, and red clover. It will be able to live about 2 to 8 weeks in habitats full of milkweed.
5 minute condensed version of NOVA's Incredible Journey of Monarch Butterflies
- Video: The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies | Watch NOVA Online | PBS Video
Follow the 2,000-mile migration of monarchs to a sanctuary in the highlands of Mexico. Entire program (52 minutes): The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies from NOVA.
Monarchs"cascade": they suddenly push off en masse from their perches, fall downwards 3-5 meters, and then fly all in the same direction at Mexican Reserve
Monarch Watch: caterpillar heartbeats
Acknowledgment
My special thanks to:
- Talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the Internet;
- Those who educate about and put into practice butterfly conservation, gardening and research;
- Virginia State University and Polytechnic Institute for the high caliber of its Carol M. Newman Library collection of books on butterflies in general and monarchs in particular as well as on poetry and the analysis and criticism of poetry;
- Jason D. Wilkins and Richard W. Lunsford, Jr. for inventing the rictameter poem and sharing their invention to the enjoyment and inspiration of poets, readers and writers worldwide.
Sources Consulted
Oberhauser, Karen S., and Michelle J. Solensky (Eds.). The Monarch Butterfly: Biology & Conservation. Ithaca & London: Cornell University Press, 2004.
Waldbauer, Gilbert. Millions of Monarchs, Bunches of Beetles: How Bugs Find Strength in Numbers. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press, 2000.
Copyright
Copyright Tuesday, December 20, 2011 by Derdriu
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Wow it is amazing how I hear one discussion and then a similar discussion follows. I just heard a discussion about how pigeons are able to fly home due to the iron content in their beak which gives them a magnetic compass to lead the way and in the light of the holiday season perhaps may be the key to Rudolph's abilities! :) As a child growing up in Eastern Oregon I was surrounded by the gorgeous Monarch because my location was along their migratory path. I did not realize until later that I was one of a small amount of people who do get to enjoy their beauty. As of today however their numbers are decreasing so I hope that Mother Nature has a loop hole for the Monarch because the glory of the creature should live on. Thank you for the memories! :)
Davenmidtown, Me too, I like the poetic (and photographic and poetic and writing) side of you too.
Japanese poetic forms are so cooperative with getting ideas and images across through a minimum of non-distracting words. To my way of thinking, it's a natural way of communicating information about nature and wildlife (and more, in your case ;-]). Nature and wildlife call up sparse phrases and specific images for many.
What a wonderful thought of the monarch flitting around the world and inspiring the invention of poetry! They can travel all the way to Australia so it's definitely a thought to hold onto of them as worldwide sources of inspiration.
Thank you for the visit and the votes, your unique and wise insights, and your inspiring enthusiasm.
Respectfully, Derdriu
I think you are correct about poetry being an easier way to transfer information because the reader is already willing to think... as opposed to just reading words. Its a trick of opening a mind... even when the mind refuses.... to be opened.
KelsieGriggs, What luck to be on a monarch migratory path! They perfectly illustrate the fragile beauty of courage and determination. They can survive travel all the way across the Pacific to Australia and all the way across the Atlantic to Africa, Europe and beyond.
Citizen scientists and scientific researchers are hoping to be able to say exactly how the monarch does what it does. Interpretation of light and magnetic fields is important, but not the only reason.
Welcome to HubPages, thank you for the visit, the nostalgia and the enthusiastic appreciation of the world's only north-south migrating butterfly.
Respectfully, Derdriu
Davenmidtown, Your poetry is such an inspiration. In particular, I like the way you alternate haiku with pretty pictures in your hubs. You use a series of few words to convey precise ideas and specific images. Then along comes your photographs, each of which is worth a thousand words.
Thank you for the revisit, and the parting, belly laugh-inducing reference to closed minds.
Respectfully, Derdriu
Thank you Derdriu, I really enjoyed the photos as well as your interesting flow with words. Thank you for the beauty all around because even closed minds are able to see the beauty you put into this hub! Thank you! :)
Kelsie
Kelsie, This is very sweet. If you don't know Dave, then why not check him out for pretty pictures and wonderful words: http://davenmidtown.hubpages.com/
Thank you for the revisit!, Derdriu
Derdriu,
Actually I have been following Dave since I read his hub about growing your own garden but yes, awesome suggestion as he is one of the greatest hubbers out there to follow. It pleasures me to see the fellowship amongst hubbers as to encourage each other and promote each other. I think this is a great quality in the hubbers I have had the honor to follow. I enjoy how Dave has an openness with his thoughts and his abilities to expand broadly on a subject as well as many other great writing qualities. You know it is good writing when he provides the information in a user friendly way which includes more information and photos than most other information on the internet. I feel Dave would be great in Book format as well due to his organization and processing skills. Anyways, thank you for the suggestion and I agree and now because Dave shared your story I will be able to follow your work as well! Thank you Dave and Thank you Derdriu! :)
Kelsie
You have the most gorgeous photos of butterflies!
Au fait, Butterflies are so photogenic! Additionally, it always is a pleasure to give them attention since they're so good at the beautifying and pollinating jobs which they hold down. Even more pleasant is any actual look at the monarch, the world's most mysterious long-distance migrant.
Thank you for the visit and the kind enthusiasm.
Respectfully, Derdriu
What a wonderful, colourful hub. The monarch is so very beautiful as is your poem, thank you for explaining the Rictameter, I always learn so much from you:-)
Best wishes and voted up, MM
Movie Master, It's fun to use a recent poetic invention such as the rictameter. It's even more fun to see that it can tell the story of the monarch, the only butterfly which can cross the Pacific to Australia and the Atlantic to England!
Thank you for the visit, vote, and enthusiastic reactions.
Respectfully, and with "bestest" 2011/2012 to you and Nick and your families and friends,
Deirdre
This was a really great hub! It was very well-written and, you did an awesome job explaining the information in educational detail. I like how you used poetry to describe an event as complicated as the monarch butterfly with such clarity. It was really interesting to read, Thank you! I voted up!
Hi, Derdriu. Here is my lowly rictameter effort:
Ice cream
Mocha flavor
Stuffed with chocolate chips
Is a sweet and lovely treat
That makes my mouth water at the nere thought.
So hold the phone and stop writing
Check out the 'fridge right now
Look inside please,
Thank you.
And thanks for the Monarch info, too.
drbj, What a clever, delightful, entertaining rictameter! It certainly doesn't read like a first-time effort.
Thank you for the poetic answer!
Respectfully, Derdriu
Dearest Derdriu ~ I popped over to feast my eyes upon what you have served up in the Hubpages community today. Always the top of the line poems, stories, photos and composition. You are my inspiration! That song has wings, too. It's tragically sad that our world is losing this fragile creature the Monarch butterfly. The insecticides and invasion of their lands by construction and farming practices has done the damage. Blessings to you always, Debby
Debby, What a clear summary of why the monarch is becoming such a rare, treasured sighting! There is so much that we have yet to learn from this gorgeous, intrepid, valiant butterfly. Fortunately, we're living at a time when the problem of their declining numbers is understood and many people care. So there's hope, what with monarch conservation and count projects in the schools.
Thank you for the visit, the shared insights, and the kind enthusiasm.
Respectfully, and with best 2011/2012 wishes to Virginia's southern neighbor,
Derdriu
((HUGS)) from across the border for a joyous and prosperous year of blessings. Awareness is the key to teaching the next generation. Hopefully, the little children will do better.
Mireland19, Poetry which brings in nature themes and has nature references always appeals to me. It can be done, of course, with English-language poetic forms. But it's fun for me to do so with such cooperative poetic forms as those of Asia. Asian art and poetry have such a history of elegant and eloquent simplicity which goes to the heart of an issue with a minimum of brushstrokes and words.
Thank you for the visit, the vote, and the wonderful enthusiasm.
Respectfully, Derdriu
The pictures are really nice...Thanks for that
Derdriu, Ecological rictameters fit monarchs as snugly as a glove --- or should I say as a chrysalis?
It seems to me that it would be very difficult, close to impossible, to find an unattractive image of a monarch. They are so strikingly photogenic in the straightforward simplicity of their color scheme. Nevertheless, you have selected an array of exquisite images which perfectly convey the beauty of this insect in all of its stages of life.
A North American native, monarchs have conquered the world with their beauty.
Their migration, in which many do not live to see promised lands, is enchanting, mysterious, compelling, inspiring.
Your rictameter is a fantastic tribute to an incomparable creature which proves the truth of John Keats' lines: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever."
All the votes.
Stessily
HTodd, Always I have been a fan of pretty pictures. In fact, my ideal for a book is 150 to 175 pages, with compact, factually and grammatically correct text illustrated by pretty pictures.
Thank you for the visit, and the kind enthusiasm.
Respectfully, and with best 2012 wishes,
Derdriu
Stessily, What an interesting thought, about the rictameter suiting the monarch as snugly as the butterfly's own chrysalis! How about inventing a poetic form that apes the shape of the monarch's stunning green and gold chrysalis?
Me too, it looks to me like there's no such thing as a bad photo opp when it comes to monarchs. They even manage to survive their equivalent of bad hair days when their wings get ragged edges from too much wind.
It's just amazing to me that such an ethereal life form as a monarch butterfly can cross the Pacific and establish itself in Australia or cross the Atlantic pond and establish itself in Africa or Europe.
Thank you for the visit, the vote, the fascinating insights, and the kind enthusiasm.
Respectfully, Derdriu
P.S. Grandfather August knew by heart all of the poems by John Keats. He used to recite them while working his way through his grapefruit orchard in Florida.
Very nice page of information about the Monarch butterfly.
As you mention it can occasionally be seen in the UK as a result apparently of being blown off course during its migrations within America - it's remarkable as you mention in another comment how such a fragile insect can be so resilient to survive a crossing of the Atlantic when it obviously cannot rest unless it happens upon a passing ship!
However, the place to see it must be Mexico. I've never seen this except on television, but I've long felt that this mass wintering site must be one of the 7 greatest natural living wonders of the world to set eyes upon.
I like your poem too, divided as it is into the caterpillars and emerging butterflies in the first half, and the feeding and migrating adults in the second.
Voted up. Alun.
Alun, It always is an honor to learn of a visit from you to one of my hub articles (especially since you alone noticed the poetic division between monarch as caterpillar and as butterfly).
It just boggles the mind to think of fragile but tenacious monarchs (Danaus plexippus) crossing not only the Pacific to places such as Australia but also the pond to places such as England: they undoubtedly know the atmospheric current equivalents of the Gulf Stream.
A couple of years ago, a monarch emerged from a chrysalis which had formed on the right arm on the porch glider while I was standing nearby. So I know for a fact how tenacious and yet vulnerable monarchs can be. It was such a scientific treat to witness the last instar metamorphose into the pupal stage and then into the adult butterfly!
Do you think that your world travels may include a visit to Mexico and a recording in photos and writing of their overwintering clusters?
Thank you for the visit, the usual insightful wisdom, and the kind observations,
Derdriu
P.S. This is one of 2 rictameter poems which you now have read. May the structural explanation and the poetic example help you in your own poetic expressions!
Many thanks Derdriu for all your thoughtful responses to my comments.
Watching a caterpillar pupate and transform into a butterfly is like watching a miracle. I've only once seen the last part of the process in a captive bred specimen, and I've seen a few captive bred silkmoth caterpillars spinning cocoons to pupate and then emerge as adults. It's always an extraordinary process to watch.
It would be nice to see that site in Mexico. Despite travelling a lot I still lack the confidence to go to most new non-English speaking countries without the benefit of a tour guide, and I've not yet come across any escorted tours to see this spectacle. I wonder if it's protected from being disturbed by too many visiting tourists? That would be understandable if it is, but it would be great to see it sometime.
Best wishes for 2012. Alun.
Alun, Oops you're most correct about those protected zones. Well, perhaps an environmentally concerned organization or governmental agency will invite you because of your photographic prowess and scientific knowledge. That should bypass any bureaucratic red tape. Or perhaps you will find a maverick colony sometime somewhere.
Respectfully, and with best 2012 wishes,
Derdriu
Re-your comments about visiting the butterfly overwintering site - I can dream Derdriu :-)
Alun, May the dream come true! It will benefit us all since your photography and write-up would be as awesome as usual!
Derdriu
Beautiful hub. I love Monarchs. We have lots of milk weed and thistles but I always seem to miss seeing their eggs. We once had so many Monarch caterpillars on our parsley. I thought that was a little strange. I don't think they usually go for parsley. Voted Up.
Moonlake, Monarchs are devoted to their food choices. But at the same time, they're determined survivors. It's possible that monarch caterpillars were on your parsley. But they also could have been the somewhat similar-looking caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly. What do you think?
Thank you for the visit, the votes, and the shared experiences and expertise.
Respectfully, Derdriu
davenmidtown Level 7 Commenter 5 months ago
Derdriu: I like the poetic side of you and how you tie that to learning. I wonder if poetry was invented because of the Monarch? It is an amazingly inspiring hub when something so fragile can undertake, survive and succeed at such a long an difficult journey when we humans complain about the smallest obstacle... like traffic. Voted up and Awesome.