Tristan Robert Lange
Breathtaking
A glint of light crests
On the summer’s horizon;
The dawn—breathtaking.
The sun, a golden
Half-moon cheese wheel in a sky
Of colorful bands.
The light arises
Over the July ocean
Shimmering sweetly.
The sun moves higher
As the undertow grows strong
And the sand creeps up
From my toes onto my feet;
From my calves to my pelvis.
The water rising up higher
As my body’s sinking lower,
My lot has gotten more dire.
The sun is not rising slower—
My own time is slipping away—
My body sinks even lower
With the upward rising of day.
The water now up to my chest,
My timespan is slipping away.
Yet, I have to watch the day crest;
As such, I refuse not to look,
The coarse sand now above my chest
My head protrudes out like a rook,
And the saltwater splashes me
Yet, at the sun, I still must look,
Submerged, a mean crab stares at me
The water keeps rising higher
And the saltwater covers me;
My very lot is beyond dire.
The prolonged time—
Breathtaking.
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
POET’S NOTE: Form: Chameleon Cantos. Created by Tristan Robert Lange on October 19, 2024, for the poem “Ice Lions” and revised/updated on February 7, 2025, for the poem “Breathtaking”.
Purpose:
Creates a poetic journey that shifts in tone, rhythm, and complexity, allowing for a narrative that evolves from simple observations to a more intricate theme exploration.
Structure:
• Canto I: Three haiku stanzas (5-7-5 syllables each)
• Canto II: One tanka stanza (5-7-5-7-7 syllables)
• Canto III: Choice of either:
• A Villanelle (19 lines, following the traditional villanelle structure and rhyme scheme)
• A Terzenelle (19 lines, following the terzenelle structure and rhyme scheme)
An Explanation of Canto III
• Villanelle option: Provides a structured, intense repetition that emphasizes key themes or images
• Terzenelle option: Offers a blend of villanelle and terza rima elements for a unique progression of ideas
Key Features:
• Progressive complexity from haiku to tanka to Villanelle/Terzenelle
• Flexibility in theme and tone between sections
• Opportunity for stark contrast or subtle evolution between parts
Guidelines:
• A sequence of three Haiku: Establishes setting, mood, or initial observations
• A Tanka: Introduces a shift, tension, or turning point
• A Villanelle/Terzenelle: Develops the main action, revelation, or thematic exploration
Rhyme and Meter:
• Haiku and tanka sections: Traditional syllabic count, no rhyme requirement
• Villanelle option: Traditional villanelle structure with its specific rhyme scheme and repetition pattern
• Terzenelle option: Follows the terzenelle structure with its defined rhyme scheme and repetition pattern
Themes:
• Versatile, but particularly suited for themes involving transformation, contrast, or gradual revelation
Examples:
• “Ice Lions” and “Breathtaking” by Tristan Robert Lange serve as the inaugural examples
Form History:
In October, Sparkle Magic City (a publication on Medium.com) put out the following prompts for their week 5 challenge. The prompts were home, basket, ice, guitar, and pillow. I chose two of the five prompts to work with, with the idea of having ice fly out of a picnic basket. I took that initial concept and thought of how to create the horrifying, jolting effect of icicles flying out at the picnickers’ faces. I knew that Haiku could set a serene scene and seasonal feel and that a Tanka would very much keep the syllabic flow of the poem intact. As someone who values repetitive forms, I figured a villanelle would be perfect to lock people into that horrific scene and yet feel a sense of helplessness and inevitability as it unfolds.
I did not initially view this as an independent form. I simply wrote the poem and then walked away. On February 6, I had the idea of writing a poem that transitioned from a beautiful sunrise to being swallowed up by the sea. It dawned on me that the structure of the Ice Lions poem might work for this concept, so I employed it and realized this was a very duplicatable form. I named it Chameleon Cantos because, like a chameleon, it is a hybrid that shifts between forms. This shifting casues the narrative to be a bit of chameleon too, in that it shifts in tone and intensity.
Following completion of the poem “Breathtaking”, I recognized the value and versatility of this form I accidentally created for a single poem and, on February 6, 2025, I drafted up these guidelines so that others can employ and play with it as well.