Gemstone

This is a form invented by Lisa Morris , aka Streambed on Allpoetry.

  • It is a 32 line poem made up of four 8 line stanzas.
  • Each stanza consists of 5 iambic tetrameter lines, and 3 iambic trimeter lines
  • The Rhyme pattern for each stanza is ababccba (with independent rhyme)
  • Meter: Lines 2,4, and 7 are iambic trimeter, the rest are iambic tetrameter.
  • The form map is:
    • 8 A
    • 6 B
    • 8 A
    • 6 B
    • 8 C
    • 8 C
    • 6 B
    • 8 A

Streambed’s Introduction:

I believe this is a new form; if you know of it from somewhere else, please give me a link and I will include the information. It is named after the poem I created it for: “The Gemstone” below.

Streambed’s Example

Form: Gemstone

The Gemstone

She kept a gemstone hid away,
once given, at a ball,
because she feared her mother’s say;
she’d force the man to call.
She hid it in her silks and floss
beneath the chest’s enameled gloss,
and underneath it all
the gemstone there in splendor lay.

She took it out when nights were still
and held it to her breast,
which surely was the man’s first will
when they had kissed, caressed.
It felt so cool against her skin;
she wished for his strong eyes again
and then she was distressed
and paced before her window sill.

He said he’d claim her as his bride
before the year was out,
and on this word she had relied,
but now she had her doubts.
The heiress of a large estate
with many, many hearts in wait
and many gifts to tout
was seen with him, out on a ride.

She laid her trust down in the drawer;
the facets, too, were there,
and in her mind, she heard the roar
of dancing in his care.
That night might be all that they had,
and if it was, her heart was glad
the gem he chose to share;
for it too sparked within its core.

© Lisa Morris

My Example

Form: Gemstone

Chivalry

I chose to honor womankind
as Arthur said we must.
They may be common or refined
but chivalry they trust.
They often can and will beguile;
they were designed to make men smile.
They promise more than lust;
they nurture using heart and mind.

For man there ought to be one maid
eclipsing all the rest
and she need never be afraid
when he’s put to the test.
I’m a man who loves them all,
the thin, the fat, the short and tall;
mankind is so well blessed
with diverse beauty, so arrayed.

A young man is not always smart
when wooing just for sport.
He’ll take a trollop or a tart
and happily consort.
No harm is done to either one
if both agree it’s just for fun.
Take care! Do not distort –
nor trifle with another’s heart.

If chivalry can take control
and lead you through your life
you’ll play a noble happy role
completely free of strife.
You’ll grace the days of maidens fair
creating jealously nowhere;
you’ll please your chosen wife
thereby making two lives whole.

© Lawrencealot – February 15, 2016

Visual template:

Note the use of the acephalous (headless) foot in the final line. Although a volta is not mandated, line 7 seems the proper place should you choose to employ a turn.

Cueca Chilena


There seems to be not much around about this form, which I discovered many moons ago and made a quick note of.  I will transcribe from my notes as I’ve found not one jot about it online.  Cueca is also the national dance of Chile, although sometimes it is accompanied by song.  My knowledge of Spanish doesn’t stretch to commenting on whether the National folk songs follow this form.  The only poets I know from Chile are Neruda – who if he wrote a Cueca I don’t know it –  and Nicanor Parra whose work is all about colloquial and informal arrangements so I can guarantee it isn’t a style for him.  Still the ‘yes’ in the fifth line kind of makes it feel colloquial to me.  When I’ve used this form I’ve written it quite relaxed.  I enjoy the short lines, the unconventional rhythm.

So, the poem my notes allude to is created thus: 8 lines long, with multiple stanzas (verses).  the fifth line is a repeat of the fourth line with the addition of the word ‘yes’ at the beginning.   It’s influenced by the Spanish Seguidilla poem which will come at some stage in the project.  The rhyme goes A-B-C-B-B-D-E-D where each letter represents a certain rhyming sound at the end of a line, and the repeated letter shows where the next rhyme comes.

Remember you can continue for as many stanzas as you please.

Example

I spent New Year’s Eve with singing boys
Three nights before we parted
Shouting rebel songs to Belfast’s streets
And you were so light hearted
yes, and you were so light hearted –
Whilst I felt terribly abandoned
In someone’s kitchen making tea
As the New-Years sky slowly brightened.

Pasted from https://poetryform.wordpress.com/ with thanks.

Specifications restated (as deduced.)
The Cueca Chilena is:
Origin: Chile, known primarily as a dance.
Stanzaic, consisting of any number of 8 line stanzas.
Syllabic: 9/7/9/7/8/9/9/9
Rhymed: Rhyme pattern: abcBBded
Refrained: The 4th line, which should be end stopped is repeated in line 5.
Formulaic: The word, “yes” is inserted as the first word in line 5.

My Example
(Form: Cueca Chilena)
The Girl in the Cape

The Girl in the Cape

As symbol of love – how bright our moon,
yet that’s from reflected light.
More like the sun, you are radiant —
from within springs your delight.
Yes, from within springs your delight.
No cosmetics need you ever wear.
Your natural light would amplify
the beauty of flowers in your hair.

© Lawrencealot – January 21, 2015

Visual Template
Cueca Chilena

Mistress Bradstreet Stanza

Mistress Bradstreet Stanza is a stanzaic verse attributed to American poet John Berryman (1914-1972) patterned after the frame of his 57 stanza poem Homage to Mistress Bradstreet which he said was developed after a life time of studying Yeats.

The Mistress Bradstreet Stanza is:
• stanzaic, written in any number of octaves.
• accentual verse, composed with 5-5-3-4-5-5-3-6 stresses per line.
• rhymed, rhyme scheme abcbddba, the a and d rhymes are a constant although occasionally the rhyme changes to abcbddca. 

Homage to Mistress Bradstreet by John Berryman (1st 3 stanzas) 

The Governor your husband lived so long
moved you not, restless, waiting for him? Still,
you were a patient woman.—
I seem to see you pause here still:
Sylvester, Quarles, in moments odd you pored
before a fire at, bright eyes on the Lord,
all the children still.
‘Simon …’ Simon will listen while you read a Song.

[2] Outside the New World winters in grand dark
white air lashing high thro’ the virgin stands
foxes down foxholes sigh,
surely the English heart quails, stunned.
I doubt if Simon than this blast, that sea,
spares from his rigour for your poetry
more. We are on each other’s hands
who care. Both of our worlds unhanded us. Lie stark,

[3] thy eyes look to me mild. Out of maize & air
your body’s made, and moves. I summon, see,
from the centuries it.
I think you won’t stay. How do we
linger, diminished, in our lovers’ air,
implausibly visible, to whom, a year,
years, over interims; or not;
to a long stranger; or not; shimmer & disappear.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1885
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

Tarnish (Form: Mistress Bradstreet Stanza)

In retrospect will history decide
that Hillary achieved her life-time goal
ascending to a stage
where she could play a noted role?
What cost, ignoring Clinton’s frequent trysts?
(His charm and force few maidens could resist.)
She wore the martyr role,
and seemed to benefit by standing by his side.

His faults his party clearly could abide
and character was deemed a price too high.
Hillary could not be blamed.
Yet global standards must apply.
She’ll likely never rise to stand a midst
the Goldas and the Thatchers who were kissed
with conviction noted and untamed.
Most likely a nod to greatness will be denied.

© Lawrencealot – December 29, 2014

Visual template

Mistress Bradstreet  Stanza

Mini-monoverse

The Mini-monoverse is a poetry form originated by Emily Romano. Each Mini-monoverse is made up of two stanzas of five three-syllable lines. They rhyme scheme is a/a/a/a/a for the first stanza and b/b/b/b/b for the second stanza. For a double Mini-monoverse just add two more stanzas. They rhyme scheme for the third stanza should be c/c/c/c/c and for the fourth stanza, d/d/d/d/d. It is desirable that the Mini-monoverse tell a story, but this is not a hard and fast rule.

How Many Times?

Thunderbolt!
Foolish dolt,
On a colt,
Feels the jolt
Of a volt.

Aftermath:
Venting wrath
In the bath,
Second swath!
Do the math.

Copyright © 2007 Emily Romano

Airborne

Cattail fluff
Velvet stuff
Colored buff
Watch it luff
Toward the bluff.

A light breeze
will appease,
lightly tease,
lift with ease
seeds like these.

Copyright © 2007 Margaret R. Smith

Pasted from http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/minimonoverse.html
Many thanks to the ShadowPoetry site.

My example

Ego-lust

It’s a cinch
Marshawn Lynch
shrunk an inch.
His crotch pinch
made me flinch.

Gone awry
a black eye
will apply.
A sad guy,
don’t know why.

© Lawrencealot – Dec 29, 2014

Visual template

Mini-Monoverse

Frost's Fire and Ice

Frost’s Fire and Ice Pattern:
Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice” poem has
9 lines
Rhyme Scheme: a-b-a-a-b-c-b-c-b.
Syllable Count for Frost’s poem
is 8-4-8-8-8-7-8-3-4.
The examples follow the rhyme scheme
not syllable count and adds another
stanza. See what combinations you like
the best.

You may see her poems here. http://www.rainbowcommunications.org/velvet/forms/Frosts-Fire-and-Ice.pdf

I am grateful for the work Linda Varsell Smith has done on the Rainbow site, but as she admits, the specifications above are incorrect. What follows are the actual specifications for this form, and a visual template based upon the original work.

Frost’s Fire and Ice Specifications:

Stanzaic: One or more 9 line stanzas.
Rhymed: abaabcbca
Metric: Lines 1 and 3 through 7 are Iambic tetrameter
and Lines 2,8, and 9 are iambic dimeter.

Fire and Ice – by Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

My example

Politics(Form: Frost’s Fire and Ice)

Impatient men do risky things
to get ahead.
Their girls they’ll lend to beds of kings,
ignoring any pain that brings.
Such men will pass new laws un-read.
because their leader says they must
They serve themselves in people’s stead
and earn disgust
betrayal brings.

© Lawrencealot – December 25th, 2014

Visual Template

Frosts3

Englyn unodl crwca

Englyn unodl crwca, én-glin éen-oddle crewc (crooked short one rhyme englyn) the 4th codified Official Welsh Meter, an Englyn,, is the structural reverse of Englyn unodl union which is far more popular. The englyn unodl crwca is rarely used.

The Englyn unodl crwc is:
• stanzaic, written as any number of quatrains,
• syllabic, 7-7-10-6 syllable per line.
• rhymed, mono rhymed. In L3 the main rhyme is found in the last half of the line followed by caesura and gair cyrch.
• composed with “gair cyrch” in L3 (syllables in the last half of a line that follow the main rhyme marked by caesura. The gair cyrch end rhyme is to be echoed or consonated as secondary rhyme in the 1st half of L4. The caesura often appears as a dash.)

x x x x x x A

x x x x x x A

x x x x x x A – x x b

x b x x x A

Kyt ymwnel kywyt, bryt brys,

yn llawen llewych yslys,

lletryt dallon donn ef ai dengys—gud

lliw blaen gruc Generys.

—- Einion Offeiriad 15th century

Upon this Rock by Judi Van Gorder

He chose a simple fisherman,

rock foundation holds God’s plan,

His anointed Sacristan – head of church,

Peter’s perch . . . Vatican.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=984
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

Englyn Unodl Crwca
Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Stanzaic
Description: (englin eenoddle crewcah) A quatrain with syllable counts: seven, seven, ten, and six and having rhyme and cross-rhyme.
Origin: Welsh
Schematic:
xxxxxxa
xxxxxxa
xxxxxxaxxb
xbxxxa

a = main rhyme.
b = subsidiary rhyme that has consonance,
assonance, alliteration

Cross rhymes can shift a few positions:
a = 7-9
b = 2-4
Rhythm/Stanza Length: 4


Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/001/116.shtml

My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

Related Welsh Form are HERE.

My example

Meth-a-morphosis

Meth-a-morphosis (Englyn unodl cdwc)

My friends girl-friend’s mouth’s a mess
It is meth-mouth I confess.
The facts she will not address – what great cost
to be lost to excess.

She is not dumb, she’s aware.
Need’s too strong, she doesn’t care
though she knows there’s help out there – not for her!
She’ll defer to despair.

© Lawrencealot – December 12, 2014

Visual template

Englyn unodl cdwca

Blood Quill

The Blood Quill form was invented in 2008 by Jim T. Henriksen writing on Allpoetry.com.

The Blood Quill form has two stanzas, each made of six lines. First and fourth line rhymes, second and fifth line rhymes, and third and sixth line rhymes per stanza. First, second, fourth and fifth line has six syllables, while third and sixth line has nine syllables. Rhyming pattern is abcabc defdef, and rhythm pattern is 669669 669669, or visually:

Poetic Justice

Poetic Justice

I will tell you a tale
of a powerful guild,
with brave members all over the Horde;
And not once would they fail,
for this group was so skilled,
with a feather they held like a sword.

They fought till the last breath,
whether theirs or their kill,
and the ground trembled hard with a thud;
With their enemies death,
in their heart was a quill,
and a poem was written in blood.

© Jim T. Henriksen. All rights reserved.
January 8th, 2008

Specifications restated:
Stanzaic: Two Sestets
Syllabic: 6/6/9/6/6/9
Rhymed: abcabc defdef
Metric option: Anapestic dimeter and trimeter.

My example

Race Riots

Race Riots (Blood Quill)

In reacting to hate
caused by eras long past
the aggrieved now have earned disrespect.
When they somehow equate
one man’s acting too fast,
just to race, they’re not most circumspect.

In destroying a store
or committing a crime,
their behavior is rising a flood.
All their own ought deplore
men behaving like slime
and then forcing more payment in blood.

© Lawrencealot – December 8, 2014

Décima Italiana

• The Décima Italiana appeared in 18th century Spain. There are 2 variations, the first true to the original 8 syllable 10 line Décima with the only variable the rhyme scheme. In Italian verse, this variation is called the Décima Rima. The 2nd variation is written in Italianate lines with a variable rhyme scheme. 

The Décima Italiana is:
○ stanzaic, written in any number of 10 line stanzas.
○ syllabic, 8 syllables per line, or in Italianate lines (mixed or irregular 11 and 7 syllable lines).
○ rhymed, ababc : dedec , the c rhyme must be oxytone or masculine rhyme, L5 must be end stopped. Variation: rhymed and paused at the discretion of the poet as long as a oxytone rhyme is placed at the end of the pause and end of the line. Something like aaab : bccabb or ababbc : aabc etc 

Pasted from <http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1029
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My example

Unburnished (Décima Italiana)

Oh, let me die, and thus improve
the way you mother seemed to do.
Her every fault did death remove
when now I read you Facebook view.
We all get polished when we die.

She was not always there I think,
for you the way your words recount.
I hope my faults will also shrink
when this frail life I shall surmount. 
In death I’ll be a real grand guy.

© Lawrencealot – December 1,2014

Visual template

Decima Italiana

Margeda

Margeda is an invented verse form that is an exercise in trochaic meter with head and tail rhyme. It is said to be adaptable to the “elfin, the grotesque, the ironic and to nature poems”. (“nature poems” added at the end made me laugh) It is attributed to Edith Thompson and found in Pathways for a Poet byViola Berg. I have also run into this form at various sites on the internet.

The Margeda is:
• a quatorzain made up of 7 couplets that does not claim to be a sonnet.
• metered, written in trochaic tetrameter, the last foot is catalectic (drops the last unstressed syllable) Su/Su/Su/S.
• rhymed, the lines have both head and tail rhyme in rhyming couplets. a…b a…b c…d c…d e…f e…f g…h g….h i…j i…j k…l k…l m…n m…n

Email by Judi Van Gorder

Quick communication sketch,
pick an address, forward, fetch.
Jokes in mass invade my box,
folks send long political talks.
Photos, dogs and kids and chains,
posts still pledging luck or pain,
“Send this on! If not you’ll die”.
Ending ads “A deal, must buy!
Debt reductions cons abuse,
get in touch and read the news.
Friendships lost, renewed once more
mending wounds ignored before.
Now and then a cherished note,
Wow! Its those on which I dote.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1203
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My example

NFL Proud

NFL Proud (Margeda)

Focus on entitlement-
Joseph Randel’s clear intent
was to steal some underwear
‘cus his contract seemed unfair!
Earning five and eighty K
yearning to put that away
playing foot ball for the ‘Boys
saving bonuses for toys.
Stealthy he must not have been.
Wealthy guy gets more again.
MeUndies found it quite alright —
refund his fine – cure his plight.
Hire him to sell their shorts
Fire him? Hell no, it’s sports.

© Lawrencealot – October 19, 2014

On Monday, Oct. 13, Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle, 22, was arrested for Class B misdemeanor theft of cologne and underwear at a Dillard’s store in Frisco, Texas. Now, Randle will be a spokesman for one of the brands he stole from.
 
Pasted from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2236838-joseph-randle-and-meundies-partnership-announced-following-arrest

Visual Template

Margeda

Kyrielle Dialogue

Kyrielle Dialog
Type:  Structure, Metrical Requirement, Repetitive Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Other Requirement, Stanzaic
Description:  This is a kyrielle with two alternating refrains and voices or characters speaking in the poem. The voices and their refrains alternate stanzas. The refrains may rhyme with each other or have other elements in common, such as anaphora.
Attributed to: “The Dread Poet Roberts”
Origin:  American
Schematic:
One version is:

aaaR1 bbbR2 cccR1 dddR2, etc.

R1 = refrain of the first character
R2 = refrain of the second character

See the kyrielle for other rhyme schemes internal to the stanza.
Rhythm/Stanza Length:

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/001/160.shtml
My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

Related Forms: Con-Verse and Converse in Couplets

The Kyrielle Dialog is
Stanzaic, consisting of 3 or more stanzas
Isosyllabic, each line having 8 syllables
Rhymed with several optional rhyme schemes
such as aaaA bbbB cccA dddB or abaB cdcD ebeB fdfD etc.
Dramatic: Alternate stanzas represent separate character voices.

My example

Momma Said (Kyrielle Dialogue)

When you come in please wipe your feet,
don’t hang with hoodlums in the street,
and offer seniors your bus seat,
be circumspect, avoid conceit.

Your mom’s old-fashioned isn’t she?
Such actions, now we seldom see;
that’s why you are great company.
Her notions make great sense to me.

Thank you sweetheart I know you’re right.
She’s always been my guiding light.
She told me I should be polite,
be circumspect, avoid conceit.

© Lawrencealot – October 19, 2014

Visual template
Note iambic meter is not mandated.

Kyrielle Dialogue