I spy a donsý troop in twilight’s glow (A)
Their tiny hats ablaze in crimson light; (B)
They pace in rows where moonlit mosses grow, (A)
Their whispered vows dissolve into the night. (B)
A gnome detective, pipe and monocle, (C)
Records each step—precise in measured beat; (D)
He tracks their quest for graves of garden scroll, (C)
Where secrets sleep beneath the summer heat. (D)
Behind him, sisters plot a secret song, (E)
Their voices threading breezes soft and sweet; (F)
They gather stones to build a chair so strong, (E)
That kings of earth might envy tiny seat. (F)
At last they halt before the ancient tree, (G)
Their pilgrimage completed ’neath its dome; (H)
They raise a toast in silent reverie, (G)
Then fade away—a donsý folded home. (H)
Donnybrook Visitor Centre
W3 Prompt #170: A donsy of gnomes
Take a closer look at the photo of this whimsical crowd of garden gnomes (click the image to view full size).
Photo credit: Victoria Baker
Donnybrook Visitor Centre
Your challenge: Write a poem of 20 lines or fewer that imagines what is happening in the scene.
A helpful word
“Donsy” means a gathering or group, especially of small beings—like gnomes!
You must use the word “donsy” somewhere in your poem.
As for the story…
Are the gnomes lining up for a beard competition?
Waiting for a concert by Simon and Gnomefunkel, Bad Gnomance, or Gnomes and Roses?
Queuing for the latest must-have garden accessory?
Or something even stranger?
Choose any perspective…
One of the gnomes
An onlooker or homeowner
A goldfish in a pond
A detective investigating
A spouse wondering where their partner has gone
Important rules
Your poem must be in a traditional poetic form—no free verse!
That means use some kind of structure: rhyme, meter, stanza pattern, etc.
Keep it to 20 lines or fewer.
Include the word “donsy.”
Let tradition, imagination, and gnomey mischief guide you!
Poetry Hub 
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