Today’s prompt for Quadrille Monday at dVerse Poets Pub is “star.”
I’ve been playing around with creating found poetry from The Complete Herbal by Nicholas Culpeper (1653), one of the texts suggested for submissions to the next issue of Heron Tree.
Culpeper believed that the medicinal properties of herbs were connected to stars and planets, writing, “I knew those various affections in man, in respect of sickness and health, were caused naturally (though God may have other ends best known to himself) by the various operations of the Microcosm; and I could not be ignorant, that as the cause is, so must the cure be; and therefore he that would know the reason of the operation of the Herbs, must look up as high as the Stars, astrologically.”
The book is a really fun read, and the man was very poetic in his description of herbs and remedies, so I’m enjoying using the text for found poetry. I am also continuing my study of drumbeats in relation to poetry and this week I’m looking at 1, 2 &, 3, 4 & and 1 &, 2, 3 &, 4. For fun, I decided to combine the two and attempt to tame some of Culpeper’s words into my drumbeats for today’s quadrille.
Let Her Be With a Fixed Star
Upper crust of the earth, shooting forth like a star,
the planet that governs, the stronger the better,
written fixed before the nature of planets, take notice
those houses, they delight star fashion, smell somewhat sweet
up as high as the Star under them.
Experience Writing 
Love how you created this from found words… great inspiration and use. I remember a poet using Bleak House at one point for found poetry.
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Thank you.
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Beautiful work and rhythm.
I believe Culpepper’s work was still used well into the 18th century, perhaps beyond.
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A wonderful poem, Maria. It is contextually enhanced by your explanation. Very well done.
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I’m glad you liked it.
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🙂
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Found poetry plus Quadrille = your lovely creative write!
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I love how this sounds when I read it aloud, Maria ❤
~David
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Yay!! Thank you. The drumbeat experiment has been interesting because when I align the words to the beats I ignore the stresses of the words. The poem ends up having a different flow, but the underlying patterns are still there.
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You like a challenge!
(So, many of these words are from a book almost 400 years old? Hello, Mr. Culpepper!)
I love the connections you’ve made. Cool.
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Thank you. I do love a challenge, and I’m so glad Heron Tree introduced me to Mr. Culpepper’s book. It’s really wonderful and has color drawings of each of the herbs he describes.
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Breathtaking!
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Thank you.
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