Silent Raptures
(An Octogram)
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Behold the splendors of the Zen,
Silent raptures.
Quiet serenity within
Peace that captures,
The very beat of nature’s heart
With every blended innate part ,
Using rocks and trees for structure,
Silent raptures.
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Where plants and water both abide,
Winning juncture’s.
Elemental balance provides
Mystic mixtures,
Taught to us by the Japanese,
In gardens that are meant to please
The eye with natural sculptures,
Silent raptures.
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Author Notes This is a picture from the Ordway Japanese Garden at Como Park in St. Paul, Minnesota. Japanese gardens use organized nature to express serenity and create a Zen experience, which are feelings of silent rapture within as you contemplate the beauty.
The Octogram is a style of poetry invented by Fanstorian Sally Yocom (S.Yocom). It consists of two stanzas of eight lines each, with a very specific syllable count and rhyme scheme. Syllable count is 84848884, repeat on second stanza. Rhyme scheme: aBabccbB ababddbB, where B repeats same text repeated. No more than 16 lines.
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