Here’s my competition entry: a pair of reversible rhyming sonnets. The first (“Fragments”), inspired by last week’s winner – That Summer by Kim Whysall-Hammond – serves as the input. The second (“Transitions”) draws from one of the scrambled variations generated by the delightfully bonkers N+7 Machine. A mind-bogglingly tricky brief this week – thanks, Kim!
These two poems explore quiet resilience through domestic and emotional fragility. Designed to shift meaning when read in reverse, they invite readers to experience healing or unraveling – depending on direction – mirroring how memory, grief, and hope flow in both directions through time.
Input Poem
Fragments
Teacups shatter on the kitchen floor
While fathers stack the pennies by the sink
And mothers patch the holes they can’t ignore
In childhoods balanced on the very brink
Of summers when the garden gate hangs loose
And bicycles rust silent in the heat
Where dinner conversations reproduce
The echoes of a family incomplete
Until the morning brings fresh bread and hope
Like sunlight streaming through the bedroom glass
And somehow weary parents learn to cope
By holding tight to moments as they pass
Through seasons when their sacrifice ran deep
To guard the dreams that let their children sleep
N+7 Results (Dictionary: large)
N+1
Teacups shatter on the kitten flotation
Whim fatigues stadium the pensions by the sinner
And mother-in-laws patchwork the holidays they canadian’t ignore
In chills balanced on the very bronchitis
Of summits when the gardener gatehouse hangs loose
And bids rustle silent in the heater
Where direction conversions reproduce
The echoes of a famine incomplete
Until the morrow brings fresh break and hopelessness
Like sunrise streaming through the bedside gleam
And somehow weary parishes learn to cope
By holding tight to momentums as they passage
Through seats when their sacristy ran deep
To guardian the dreamers that let their childhoods sleeper
N+2
Teacups shatter on the knee flour
Whine fatters staff the penthouses by the sip
And motions path the holinesses they canal’t ignore
In chimneys balanced on the very bronze
Of summonss when the gardening gateway hangs loose
And biddings sack silent in the heath
Where directness conveyances reproduce
The echoes of a fan incomplete
Until the mortgage brings fresh breakdown and horizon
Like sunset streaming through the bee glee
And somehow weary parks learn to cope
By holding tight to moneys as they passenger
Through seatings when their saddle ran deep
To guess the dresses that let their chills sleeping
N+3
Teacups shatter on the knife flourish
Whip faults stage the peoples by the sir
And motives pathologist the holsters they cancer’t ignore
In chins balanced on the very brother
Of suns when the garlic gathering hangs loose
And bidets sacrifice silent in the heather
Where director convictions reproduce
The echoes of a fanaticism incomplete
Until the mosque brings fresh breakfast and horn
Like sunshine streaming through the beech glimmer
And somehow weary parkings learn to cope
By holding tight to mongrels as they passing
Through seaweeds when their sadist ran deep
To guest the dressers that let their chimneys sleeve
N+4
Teacups shatter on the knob flow
Whirl favours stagger the peppers by the siren
And motors patience the homes they candelabra’t ignore
In chinas balanced on the very brow
Of sundowns when the garment gauze hangs loose
And bikes sacristy silent in the heating
Where directory cooks reproduce
The echoes of a fancy incomplete
Until the mosquito brings fresh breaking and horror
Like sun-tan streaming through the beef glimpse
And somehow weary parliaments learn to cope
By holding tight to monitorings as they passion
Through seconds when their sadness ran deep
To guidance the dressings that let their chins slice
N+5
Teacups shatter on the knock flower
Whirr favourites stain the percentages by the sister
And motorbikes patient the homecomings they candidate’t ignore
In chinks balanced on the very brownie
Of sunlights when the gas gaze hangs loose
And bikinis saddle silent in the heaven
Where dirt cookers reproduce
The echoes of a fanfare incomplete
Until the moss brings fresh breakspear and horse
Like superintendent streaming through the beer glint
And somehow weary parlours learn to cope
By holding tight to monks as they passport
Through secrecies when their safari ran deep
To guide the dressing-gowns that let their chinas slide
N+6
Teacups shatter on the knocking fluff
Whiskey faxes staircase the perceptions by the sister-in-law
And motorways patio the homesicknesses they candle’t ignore
In chintzes balanced on the very bruise
Of sunrises when the gascon gazebo hangs loose
And biles sadist silent in the heaviness
Where disadvantage cookeries reproduce
The echoes of a fantasy incomplete
Until the mossycop brings fresh breast and horseback
Like superior streaming through the beetle gloom
And somehow weary parodies learn to cope
By holding tight to monkeys as they past
Through secrets when their safe ran deep
To guilt the dressing-rooms that let their chinks slime
N+7
Teacups shatter on the knot fluid
Whisky fears stairs the perfections by the site
And mottos patriarch the homeworks they candlelight’t ignore
In chips balanced on the very brush
Of sunsets when the gasp gear hangs loose
And bills sadness silent in the hedge
Where disagreement cookings reproduce
The echoes of a fare incomplete
Until the motel brings fresh breath and horseman
Like superiority streaming through the beggar glory
And somehow weary parquets learn to cope
By holding tight to monologues as they pasta
Through secretaries when their safety ran deep
To guinea the dressing-tables that let their chintzes slit
N+8
Teacups shatter on the knowledge flurry
Whisper feasts stairway the perfectionists by the sitting
And moulds patriotism the honesties they cane’t ignore
In chocolates balanced on the very brutality
Of sunshines when the gate geezer hangs loose
And billhooks safari silent in the heel
Where disappearance coolers reproduce
The echoes of a farewell incomplete
Until the mother brings fresh breathing and hose
Like supermarket streaming through the beginning glove
And somehow weary parrots learn to cope
By holding tight to monotonies as they pastor
Through sections when their sail ran deep
To gulp the dressmakers that let their chips sliver
N+9
Teacups shatter on the koko flush
Whistle feats stake the performances by the sitting-room
And mounds patrol the honeys they canna’t ignore
In choices balanced on the very brute
Of sun-tans when the gatehouse gel hangs loose
And bins safe silent in the heifer
Where disappointment coolnesses reproduce
The echoes of a farm incomplete
Until the mother-in-law brings fresh breed and hosepipe
Like superstition streaming through the behalf glow
And somehow weary parsleys learn to cope
By holding tight to monsieurs as they pastry
Through sectors when their sailing ran deep
To gum the dribbles that let their chocolates sloop
N+10
Teacups shatter on the koran fly
Whistling feathers stall the perfumes by the situation
And mounts patron the honeymoons they cannon’t ignore
In choirs balanced on the very bucket
Of superintendents when the gateway general hangs loose
And bingos safety silent in the height
Where disapproval cops reproduce
The echoes of a farmer incomplete
Until the motion brings fresh breeze and hospital
Like superstructure streaming through the behaviour go
And somehow weary parsons learn to cope
By holding tight to monsters as they pat
Through securities when their sailor ran deep
To gun the drifts that let their choices slop
N+11
Teacups shatter on the kuttub flyer
White features stance the perils by the sixpence
And mountains patter the honours they canopy’t ignore
In chops balanced on the very buddy
Of superiors when the gathering generation hangs loose
And binnacles sail silent in the heir
Where disaster coppers reproduce
The echoes of a farmhouse incomplete
Until the motive brings fresh brew and hospitality
Like supervision streaming through the being goal
And somehow weary parts learn to cope
By holding tight to months as they patch
Through seeds when their saint ran deep
To gunfire the drills that let their choirs slope
N+12
Teacups shatter on the lab flying
Whiteness fees stand the perimeters by the size
And mouses pattern the hoods they canteen’t ignore
In chords balanced on the very budget
Of superiorities when the gauze generosity hangs loose
And biographies sailing silent in the helicopter
Where disbelief copies reproduce
The echoes of a fascination incomplete
Until the motor brings fresh brick and host
Like supervisor streaming through the belief goat
And somehow weary partings learn to cope
By holding tight to monuments as they patchwork
Through selections when their sake ran deep
To gunwale the drinks that let their chops slot
N+13
Teacups shatter on the label foal
Whole feels standard the periods by the skeleton
And moustaches pause the hoofs they canvas’t ignore
In choruss balanced on the very buffalo
Of supermarkets when the gaze genius hangs loose
And biologies sailor silent in the hell
Where disc corals reproduce
The echoes of a fashion incomplete
Until the motorbike brings fresh brickwork and hostage
Like supper streaming through the bell goblet
And somehow weary partitions learn to cope
By holding tight to moods as they path
Through selfs when their salad ran deep
To gurgle the drinkings that let their chords slug
N+14
Teacups shatter on the laboratory foam
Whore feelings standing the permissions by the ski
And mouths pavement the hoohs they canyon’t ignore
In christenings balanced on the very bugger
Of superstitions when the gazebo gentleman hangs loose
And biplanes saint silent in the helmet
Where discipline cords reproduce
The echoes of a fat incomplete
Until the motorway brings fresh bride and hostel
Like supply streaming through the bellow god
And somehow weary partners learn to cope
By holding tight to moons as they pathologist
Through self-confidences when their salary ran deep
To gush the drives that let their choruss slumber
N+15
Teacups shatter on the labour focus
Wickedness fellatios star the persons by the skiff
And mouthfuls pavilion the hooks they cap’t ignore
In christianities balanced on the very builder
Of superstructures when the gear gentleness hangs loose
And birches sake silent in the help
Where discomfiture cores reproduce
The echoes of a fate incomplete
Until the motto brings fresh bridge and hostess
Like support streaming through the belly gold
And somehow weary partnerships learn to cope
By holding tight to moonlights as they patience
Through self-defences when their sale ran deep
To gust the drivers that let their christenings slut
Output Poem (inspired by version N+4)
Transitions
Motorcycles pause beside the flow
While sirens wail through pepper-scented air
And china dolls rest on the window’s brow
Where gauze curtains catch the evening’s glare
Of sundown when the heating pipes run cold
And bicycles stand silent in the yard
Where seconds tick like stories being told
Through parliaments of memory, scarred
Until the morning guidance finds its way
Like sun-tan oil across the sleeping skin
And weary souls discover how to stay
Connected to the sadness held within
Through dressings that bind wounds too deep to see
While chins lift toward what they’re meant to be
Bob Lynn | © 2025 Vox Meditantis. All rights reserved.
Photo by John Cardamone on Unsplash
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