Task 7: Betrayal...figuratively speaking

betray verb Be or prove false to; be disloyal to; disappoint the expectations of.

betrayal noun The act of betraying; a treacherous or disloyal act.

disloyal adjective Unfaithful to personal ties of duty or affection, such as friendship, marriage etc.

Next week, we will be going to see a critically acclaimed production of Harold Pinter's play, Betrayal. In preparation for this, I would like you each to write about the topic of the play: i.e. BETRAYAL.

1. Rather than ask you to write freely (which might be difficult and susceptible to waffle), I would like you to write an 8-LINE POEM.
   
2. Please stick to IAMBIC rhythm throughout. Not only will this stop you getting out of practice, but it is also a useful discipline in which to write. It forces you to be particularly careful with your choice of language.
3. Odd lines should be TETRAMETERS (i.e. 4 feet = dee-DUM dee-DUM dee-DUM dee-DUM) and even lines should be TRIMETERS (i.e. 3 feet = dee-DUM dee-DUM dee-DUM).
4. The rhyme scheme should be as follows: abcbdefe (see my example below if you're stuck).
   
5. Try to use as much figurative language as possible (SIMILES and METAPHORS). I want your poem to be dripping with imagery! :)
6. And write the poem in the 2ND PERSON - i.e. as if addressing somebody who has betrayed you. This can be fictional (so don't worry if you have never been betrayed!) - in fact, it might be easier to keep control over your writing if you base it on a fictional scenario. However, should you choose to base it on real experience, that is fine too.

As usual, here is my attempt:

My heart's a bright red vintage car,
And you removed the keys.
My love's a dripping honey hive,
And you purloined the bees.
I promised you the earth and moon,
(And my last milky way);
But your account has now expired -
Your card was thrown away.

I am going to give you slightly longer for this task. Please make sure you have completed it, without fail, by midnight on Wednesday 20th June.