With thanks to Gay Rieser Cannon in the dVerse pub, who challenged us to write a Quatern. A Quatern comprises four quatrains of eight syllables per line with the first line repeated in each verse as the second line in the second verse, third line in the third verse and fourth line in the fourth verse … wow ~ nice one, Gay.
Have you seen determination
On the face of smallest children?
Not to countenance frustration
They’ve a goal, a destination.
There’s no cause for consternation
Have you seen determination?
And no tiny apprehension
In big eyes illumination.
And there is no prohibition,
S/he’s created the decision.
Have you seen determination?
Edges forward with elation.
Process of elimination,
From paying utmost attention
There is less and less confusion.
Have you seen determination?
Polly Robinson © 2012
07/12/2012 at 22:36
GREAT pic — the “tion” rhyme was a heavy challenge.
07/12/2012 at 23:06
Ah, sorry about that, Sabio ~ bet you cracked it, though
07/12/2012 at 22:46
Loved this. Cute pic, too!
07/12/2012 at 23:07
Cheers, Susan
07/12/2012 at 22:57
ha, fun. kids are cool…and i have seen that look on their faces as they study the world around them….everything so new…cool use of the form polly…
07/12/2012 at 23:08
heh-heh, we all know it when we see it, ‘eh Brian?
07/12/2012 at 23:02
If only we could maintain such steadfast determination when we’re older instead of letting that old self-doubt creep in!
By the way, Polly, can you give me your Facebook page link again? I’m switching all my ‘likes’ to come from my public page, and I can’t find yours when I search. Too many Pollys I guess.
07/12/2012 at 23:11
Oh, that’s so true, Carrie ~ mind you, there are some bloody-minded types out there who never got over themselves (!) heh-heh
FB page is: https://www.facebook.com/PollyRobi Personal profile is: https://www.facebook.com/polly.robinson
08/12/2012 at 00:02
ah, kids are awesome. so pure… and when they set their mind on something they’re (almost) unstoppable.
great work!
08/12/2012 at 07:15
You’re so right, Miriam, they get that look about them and just go for it, wonderful really. And identifiable anywhere in the world ~ fab ~ thank you so much for visiting and commenting
08/12/2012 at 00:36
Love this. Some children DEFINITELY are determined at an early age!! Nice quatern.
08/12/2012 at 07:04
Aren’t they just, Mary? Thanks for the comments
08/12/2012 at 02:16
awww this is awesome
lurv it!
08/12/2012 at 07:16
heh-heh, lurv that you lurv it, Daydreamer ~ thanks for visiting and for the comment
08/12/2012 at 02:24
Great work on the form and rhyming words (-ions) ~
He is cute to have that look of determination ~
08/12/2012 at 07:05
Thanks (-ions) ~ I liked that
08/12/2012 at 02:32
Lovely work on this quatern and indeed I have seen that look in my children’s eyes! You created your quatern very well!
08/12/2012 at 07:06
Thanks for the prompt, Gay. I enjoyed it very much.
Thank you also for your comments.
08/12/2012 at 03:45
Nice one!
08/12/2012 at 07:06
Cheers Dr T
08/12/2012 at 11:28
08/12/2012 at 05:25
They have a way of getting what they want ….as if on a mission….pretty quartern..
08/12/2012 at 07:09
Thanks for visiting and for your comments, Katy
08/12/2012 at 06:12
..very good subject to go with the form… and who can resist that look of a child showing to the world a true and living proof of determination… ah, truly an inspiration… enjoyed it…smiles…
08/12/2012 at 07:10
heh-heh, thank you very much Kelvin, you made me smile ~ so lovely to see children doing things they do the world over ~ no mistaking our babes ‘eh? Glad you enjoyed my quatern.
08/12/2012 at 07:33
oh smiles…that reminded me of my eldest daughter when she was about two years old…really, that determination you’re writing about…made me so smile..
08/12/2012 at 07:40
Isn’t it wonderful to see worldwide recognition for this one, Claudia ~ my kids’ ‘look’ involved their tiny chins jutting forward too ~ determination? You bet
08/12/2012 at 12:19
Hi Polly, nice to meet you, great Quantern, cool pic,
i just had my godson explain to my why it is so important for his well being that he gets a penguin for christmas,
your poem reminded me of his face, made me smile,
wish you a wonderful day,
franza
08/12/2012 at 12:44
Hi Franza, good to meet you too ~ I know just what you mean re the look on your godson’s face, earnest and disingenuous at best ‘eh, peeping up from under his (no doubt) long eyelashes ~ melts your heart
Bet he gets his penguin 
Thanks for visiting and following, I’ll be following you too ~ loved your poem for dVerse.
08/12/2012 at 13:15
I have seen that determination in little Mira…to grab a toy, turn over on her tummy, etc. It’s thrilling for me to witness it. So nice, Polly..I love what you did here.
08/12/2012 at 13:28
Aw, how lovely to see that little Mira’s already got it, that little set to the chin and glint in the eye ~ unmistakeable ~ give her a big hug from me, Gayle
Glad you liked the poem btw (!)
08/12/2012 at 14:33
Oh, yes, I have. I can see the adorable child in the picture does, too.
08/12/2012 at 14:51
Once seen, never forgotten, ‘eh Laurie?:)
10/12/2012 at 00:18
Think I might look at trying one of these… Effective technique.
10/12/2012 at 07:09
… and … you can re-use that great list of words that you did for Sean O’Brien’s exercise * grins*
Must say, I really enjoyed this one ~ and when I saw the pic of that ace child on zemanta, just couldn’t resist
16/12/2012 at 11:31
Fabulous! I love the determined poem and the determined cute face!! The feeling really transmits through your words
16/12/2012 at 12:28
We all know that face
16/12/2012 at 19:35
I’m pulling that face now, whilst trying to read without my glasses! 8)