Conversations with Enjambment

Co-incidentally (or maybe not?) these verse exercises also suggest who the most popular pilgrims are; the Wife of Bath proves almost irresistible to write for, with the Miller and the Knight close behind.

The Clerk and the Wife, Anonymous
            The Clerk then said, "A Wife is meant to be
A patient person.  Love is not, to me,
The prime concern.  I seek the stuff in books."
The Wife replied among a crowd of looks,
"In life, when love is not the thing you seek
The name you must be called," she cried, "is freak."
The words were harsh.  The Clerk began to cry.
His eyes and face were red, he hoped to die. 
            
            
            The Knight and the Wife, by Rianne
            The Wife of Bath completes her tawdry tale   
Just barely when the Knight could not but fail
Maintaining his patience so thus he spoke:
"Somehow I hope your tale remains a joke,
My gentilness is not of riches made,
Through war and battle have I dearly paid."
"This tale's for fun unless some guilt to hide
Was there in your response." the Wife replied.
            

            The Wife to the Cook, by Holly

"Oh Sire Cook please stop!" cried she, "your tale
pains all who listen don't you see?" A wail
came from the Cook's mouth at this.  He was not
happy with the crowd.  "Just wait; the plot
develops and you then shall see how good
my tale can be."  The Wife of Bath she stood	
and said "you may go on but keep in mind
bore us again and I will not be kind!"
            
 The Miller and the Wife, by Jean
            The Miller spoke now, "Ladies ought to be
Full of spirit and enjoy company.
Dear Wife of Bath, I know you are this way
Perhaps you want to roll around in hay!"
"Foul Miller," said the Wife, "Rolling in hay
And with you, never, that will be the day!
A husband I want dear, want one for show
But not you, you will give me too much woe.
            
            
 The Miller and the Reeve, by Dave
            The Miller turned around and yelled behind
Him at the Reeve so as to speak his mind.
"The tales you tell need work, my friend, before
This miller's pride you wound and make him sore."
The Reeve yelled back, "You call your own a work
of art?  It stunk!  You're nothing but a jerk
who won't shut up!"  The host then cried aloud,
"Enough!  You both have reason to be proud!
Although we'll never see your tales in books,
The both of them were better than the cook's!"
            
 Metafictional Conversation between the Summoner and the Knight
by Stephen
            I hate that friar guy," the summoner said
Unto the knight.  "I wish that he were dead."
"I'd take him out for you," the knight replied,
"If he were pagan born."  The summoner tried
Again.  "You have forgotten Terry Jones,"
The summoner said, "Who swore upon God's bones
That you were just a mercenary." "Well,
The knight replied, "That Jones can go to Hell."
            
  The Clerk and the Wife of Bath by Naomi
            The Clerk arose and told the Wife of Bath,
"Good lady, it was folly, very brash,
Your Jenkyn did not give you half the scare,
As I, my book had you begun to tear."
The Wife of Bath with mirth began to grin
And chucked young Oxenford beneath the chin.
"Don't worry, dearie,"said she, "as I live
And breathe, my favor wil I ne'er you give!"
            

            The Knight and the Miller by Scott W.

The Knight was wary of the MIller's snore,
That drunken fool had belched a smell times four
All while the Knight was teaching his ethics.
The Knight did sigh and said, "Your Miller tricks
We Knights do not approve.  Breaking down doors
With heads indeed!  I say, attempt a more
Grand tale than I!"  Red Robin belched quite clear,
"My dreams were better far than that, my dear."
            
 The Miller and the Man of Law by Liz
            
            That tale was such a bore!" the Miller said,
"I could not sit still, and I hit my head
With my right hand six times to stay awake!
Let's hear some better tales for my poor sake!"
The Man of Law then smiled with a glint
In his deep eyes, "I'm sorry if my hint
Was not understood, but my tale's target 
Was to educate and not to 'excite'!"

 

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