|
|
Acrostic
An acrostic poem is one
where the first word in each line or the first letter in each line, will
spell out a secondary message if read in sequence. Another variation is to
have the last word or letter of the line spell out a message.
Example:
Acrostic poetry can be rhymed or
unrhymed. Strictly metered or Free Verse.
A crostic Poetry
C an have rhythm or
R hyme,.
O r it can be simple verse.
S ometimes it spells out
T he secret message by
I nserting the first or last letter
C ode into the body of the poem.
|
|
Alexandrine
A line written
in hexameter ( A line of verse consisting of six metrical feet. ) has a
double stress like this line from Othello ( V. ii )
- "That can thy light resume. When I have
pluck'd the rose".
The Caesura ( A breath pause; usually stressed
by ending and beginning a adjoined words with the same constant - "Mightiest
still" / "his surprise" ) division between the two equal half-lines.
( Three feet on each side )
or
"A
needless alexandrine ends the song
That,
like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along" - Alexander Pope
|
|
|
Ballade
A French
format with 3 seven or eight-line stanzas and an four line envoi that repeats
the last four
rhymes
of the previous stanza. It uses no more than three rhymes with an identical
refrain after each. The
rhyme
scheme is a-b-a-b-b-c-b-cR a-b-a-b-b-c-b-cR a-b-a-b-b-c-b-cR b-c-b-cR. There
is a variation
with six
stanzas which is called a double ballade.
|
|
Blank Verse
Simply put, blank verse is meter
without rhyme. It is usually written in iambic pentameter
(pentameter refers to 5 "feet."). Some believe it to be the
pinnacle of poetry as the format must stand
alone without rhyme as a reinforcement. Any poetry format may be written as
Blank verse.
|
|
Ballad
A narrative
poem usually depicting folk-lore, myth, or legend. Each stanza is either 2 or
4 lines and
written
in ballad meter, i.e., alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic
trimeter (Iambic refers to a
"foot"
of two syllables, the first unaccented, the second accented. Tetrameter
refers to four "feet,"
trimeter
refers to three "feet."). This makes the syllable count 8-6-8-6 for
each quatrain. Please note
however
that only the second and fourth lines rhyme, giving a rhyme scheme of
a-b-c-b. Although they
contain
little detail, ballads use simplicity and force. They are often sung and
written for that purpose.
|
|
Cinquain
There are two types of cinquain, the
first is a short format with 22 syllables. There are five lines
with the syllables arranged like this, 2-4-6-8-2. The second also comes in
two styles. While there is no
rhyme scheme, a theme is used instead. The two thematic structures are as
follows;
Example 1 Example 2
Line 1: one word Line 1: subject word (noun)
Line 2: two words describing the title Line 2: two descriptive words
(adjectives)
Line 3: three words (an action) Line 3: three action words (verbs)
Line 4: four words (a feeling) Line 4: a complete sentence
Line 5: one word referring to the first line Line 5: synonym for the line 1
wo
Cinquain Examples by Chantaclair
Joy
Elusive, Desired
Breathless, Encompassing, Anti-Climatic
Searching forever in vain.
Happiness
|
|
Clerihew
A humorous
format contained in a single quatrain and composed of two rhyming couplets.
The
rhyme
scheme is a-a-b-b with lines of uneven length. Clerihews are usually written
as pseudo-biographical
pieces
about a famous personage. The name of the subject ends the first, or
occasionally the second line
and the
humor is light and whimsical instead of satirical. Edmund Clerihew Bentley
(1875-1956) created
the
format to avoid boredom in school. Below are two examples of his original
clerihews.
Sir Humphrey
Davy
Abominated
gravy.
He lived
in the odium
Of
having discovered sodium.
The meaning
of the poet Gay
Was
always as clear as day,
While
that of the poet Blake
Was
often practically opaque.
|
|
Etheree
Created about twenty years ago by an
Arkansas poet named Etheree Taylor Armstrong, this titled form, the Etheree,
consists of ten lines of unmetered and unrhymed verse, the first line having
one syllable, each succeeding line adding a syllable, with the total syllable
count being fifty-five.
This concise form is meant to focus on
one idea or subject.
Example:
Reverie
Rose
Buds are
Peeking through
The grey back fence.
Each bloom is lovely.
And as one opens out
In splendid peachy yellow
Beginning as a tiny bud
Until it ends a plate-sized dazzler
I am lost in a reverie of "Peace."
Mary Margaret Carlisle, Webster, TX
|
|
Free Form
Rhyming poetry
without a set meter. Rhythm and word-flow decide where to place the rhymes,
although
they always end the lines. Technically it could be considered free verse.
Free form often makes
use of
feminine rhymes (rhymes ending with an unaccented syllable, i.e., walking and
talking, or wanted
and
daunted. Often feminine rhymes are added as an extra syllable to pieces
written in iambic
pentameter).
Free Verse
Free verse is cause for some controversy amongst poets
and poetry enthusiasts. Poetry makes use
of line breaks to accent and break up the
words while prose uses punctuation and paragraphing. An easy
definition of free verse would be prose
written rich in imagery and broken up with line breaks instead of
punctuation and paragraphing. Below is an
example.
|
|
Haiku
A
short, intense Japanese format, nature oriented, and with three lines with a
syllable count of
5-7-5. They are usually untitled as good haiku stand alone. Haiku tend to be
minimalistic and utilize
immediacy. Immediacy refers to the sense of a scene being directly presented
to your senses. Haiku tries
to capture a specific moment or image in place and time. A season word is
usually required in the
traditional form to place a poem in a specific season. Several Japanese
formats use the 5-7-5 syllable
count.
Autumn steam rises
passion's flame ignited whole
one shared breath exchanged
More HERE
|
|
Limerick
A light or humorous verse form of five chiefly anapestic
(a metrical "foot" with two unaccented
syllables followed by a long or
accented syllable) verses of which lines one, two and five are of three feet
and lines three and four are of two
feet, The rhyme scheme is a-a-b-b-a.
|
|
Pantoum
This
delightful format originated in the Far East. There are no less than 6
quatrains, though you
may have more. The twist to it is this; the second and fourth lines of each
stanza become the first and
third lines in the following stanza, respectively. A vital component is using
the first and third lines of the
first quatrain/stanza as the fourth and second lines of the last stanza. This
brings the poem full circle. The
rhyme scheme is this, a1-b1-a2-b2 b1-c1-b2-c2 c1-d1-c2-d2 d1-e1-d2-e2
e1-f1-e2-f2 f1-a2-f2-a1.
|
|
Paradelle
More of a word puzzle, the paradelle is a very difficult
format to master. A paradelle is a repetition
of lines, with each stanza ending in
two lines which use all of the words in the previous lines. Also, the
last stanza uses all of the words from
all previous stanzas. Below is an example.
Winter
Night is cold and
lonely
Night is cold and lonely
Still the tempest does turn
Still the tempest does turn
Cold tempest is still night
and turn does the lonely.
Sparkles of ice
glitter
Sparkles of ice glitter
Cloudy breath floats away
Cloudy breath floats away
Breath of cloudy sparkles
away ice breath glitter.
Winter brings it's
caress
Winter brings it's caress
Delight rewards the soul
Delight rewards the soul
Winter rewards delight
it's soul brings the caress.
Winter glitter
sparkles
and tempest floats away
it's cloudy soul does turn
the ice of lonely night
caress is the rewards
still breath brings cold delight.
©1999 Wordsmith
|
|
Rengay
Similar
to renga, this six stanza format has a theme or common topic. The syllable
count is as
follows; 3-line stanzas are typically short-long-short (e.g. 5-7-5) and the
2-line stanzas are typically
long-long (e.g. 7-7).
|
|
Renga
A renga is a series of linked poems of alternating 5-7-5
and 7-7 syllable stanzas. Traditionally there
is no theme as each stanza must relate
to the previous stanza and the one below it, yet no three
consecutive stanzas are to make sense.
The relationship between each stanza and those before and after it
is often obscure but is never readily
apparent. Renga are written collaboratively with at least two poets
who take turns writing each succesive
stanza. It is worth noting that most oriental languages are
unaccented languages so meter is not
used.
|
|
Rubiyat
This
arabic format has a quatrain wherein the first, second, and fourth lines
rhyme. The rhyme
scheme is thus; a-a-b-a. A single stanza can be a poem in itself or multiple
stanzas may be joined to create
a larger piece. Below is an example.
Untitled
Not
one ever truly content,
will look beyond their hellish bent.
Easily accepting the past,
for evil deeds none will repent.
Women
that see me never sigh,
no longer do I question why,
for I see truth in the mirror
and the Beast it shows begs to die.
©2000
Wordsmith
|
|
Rondeau
Usually reserved for light and witty verse, this fixed
form utilizes three stanzas of either 8 or 10
syllables with only two rhymes used. A
word or words from the first part of the first line are used as a
(usually unrhymed) refrain ending the
second and third stanzas. The rhyme scheme is a-a-b-b-a a-a-b-R a-a-b-b-a-R.
|
|
Ghazal
An
Iranian format rarely more than a dozen couplets of the same meter. The rhyme
scheme is a-a
b-a c-a and so on. Ghazal also follows the radif tradition. This means a
portion of the first line --
comprising not more than two or three words -- immediately preceding the
rhyme-word at the end, should
rhyme with its counterpart in the second line of the opening couplet, and
afterwards alternately throughout
the poem. The last couplet of the ghazal called makta often includes the
pen-name of the poet, and is
more personal than general in its tone and intent. Each couplet is to be a
complete thought. Some ghazal
are written with a theme throughout all the couplets, but that is a fringe
trend. Ghazal is arabic for "talking
to women." Below is a contemporary example.
Her
Virtues
If romantic moods require delight
then must your embrace inspire delight.
I
live for the time I might know your touch.
The rush of your touch is dire delight.
Magic
enchantment is cast by your words.
Your silken voice sets afire delight.
My
mind is jaded by all that I see.
Lost in your eyes I find higher delight.
Yours
is the love I've dreamed of all my life.
Your mind eclipses all prior delight.
©1999
Wordsmith
|
|
Senryu
Like
haiku, this format uses the 5-7-5 syllable count. Unlike haiku subject matter
is human emotions
and
relationships rather than nature.
|
|
Sestina
The sestina is the most convoluted
format imaginable. Technically it is free verse as it uses no
rhyme and is usually (not always) without meter. First off, six words are
chosen for the sestina as end
words. The end words rotate their position with each new stanza. As there are
six words, there are six
stanzas plus a three line end tag. There is a variation using twelve words
and is called a double-sestina.
Here then is the word scheme (note that the order of the end words will be
written across rather then
vertically); ABCDEF, FAEBDC, CFDABE, ECBFAD, DEACFB, BDFECA. Following that
is a three line
end tag or envoi that may be used in two distinct forms, either ECA or ACE,
with B, D, and F included
within the lines of the envoi respectively.
|
|
|
Sijo
Like haiku the sijo is nature
oriented. There are three lines, each averaging 14-16 syllables with a
total of 44-46 syllables. Each line has a specific focus; the first line
introduces a situation or problem, the
second line includes a development, the third line resolves tensions created
in the first line or resolves the
problem in the first line. Again we must note that Oriental languages tend to
be unstressed. Each piece
must be self-explanatory, requiring no title. Below is an example.
Sijo
Time without pause, whirls around us
in natures hungry breath,
today reaches into bowls of tomorrow with claws of yesterday,
we are reborn minute by minute in the dance of our soliquoy.
©2001 Chantaclair's Parlor
|
|
Sonnet
This is
probably the most well known and recognized format in the present day. Though
made
famous
by Shakespeare, the format is much older and there are actually three
different sonnet formats;
Shakespearean,
Petrarchan (Italian), and Spenserian. Each has a unique rhyme scheme but all
have
fourteen
lines. The sonnet may be broken into three quatrains with alternating rhyme
and a heroic couplet
ending
it. Note that when written there are no spaces between stanzas. The
petrarchan format has several
different
possible endings known as tercets (three line stanza). Here then is the rhyme
scheme for the
three
styles.
Shakespearean
a-b-a-b
c-d-c-d e-f-e-f g-g
Spensarian
a-b-a-b
b-c-b-c c-d-c-d e-e
Petrarchan
a-b-b-a
a-b-b-a c-d-c c-d-e
End
Tercet Variants
d-c-d
d-d-c
e-d-c
|
|
Spenserian
Stanza
Simple and straightforward, it is a
stanza of nine lines, all iambic except the last which is an
alexandrine. The alexandrine is a line with twelve syllables and written in
reverse iambic, which is to say
that it begins with an accented syllable and ends with an unaccented syllable.
The rhyme scheme for this
stanza is as follows; a-b-a-b-b-c-b-c-c.
|
|
Tanka
A five
line Japanese format with lines of 5-7-5-7-7. Please note that often the end
tag of 7-7 is
separated
from the 5-7-5 part, although this may vary. They are not restricted to
nature or season as
haiku
are. Tanka refers to modern poems in this form while Waka refers to
pre-twentieth century poems
in
this style.
|
|
Triolet
Either a poem or stanza of eight lines
in which the first line is repeated as the fourth and seventh
lines, and the second line as the eighth. The rhyme scheme is ABaAabAB. Note
that only two rhymes
are used within this format.
|
|
Villanelle
This format
has nineteen lines, 5 stanzas of three lines each and 1 stanza of four lines.
The rhyme
scheme
appears thus; a-b-a a-b-a a-b-a a-b-a a-b-a a-b-a-a. There is one vital twist
to the villanelle; the
first,
then third line of the poem alternate as the last line of stanzas 2, 3, and
4, and then end stanza 5, and
the
poem itself, as a couplet. The villanelle is usually written in tetrameter (4
"feet") or pentameter.
|
|
Virelay
This is an ancient French format
having stanzas of varying length and number with alternating long
and short lines. The rhyme scheme is interlaced; a-b-a-b b-c-b-c c-d-c-d
d-e-d-e e-f-e-f ...
|
Acrostic
An acrostic poem is one
where the first word in each line or the first letter in each line, will
spell out a secondary message if read in sequence. Another varriation is to
have the last word or letter of the line spell out a message.
Example:
Acrostic poetry can be rhymed or
unrhymed. Strictly metered or Free Verse.
A crostic Poetry
C an have rythmn or
R hyme,.
O r it can be simple verse.
S ometimes it spells out
T he secret message by
I nserting the first or last letter
C ode into the body of the poem.
|
|
