Paraphrased Great Poetry

Paraphrased Great Poetry is an invented form created by Amera on Allpoetry.com.

Take a well-known poem, then rewrite it in four lines of iambic trimeter (six-syllable lines with the stressed syllables in position 2, 4, and 6). These are monorhyme poems, meaning all of the lines end with the same rhyming word (rhyme scheme AAAA).

The Wreck of the Hesperus

The Hesperus did sail
 Into a blust’ring gale,
But like the poor in jail,
She couldn’t make the bail.

Evangeline

Evang’line, young and shy,
In exile lost her guy,
But found him, by and by,
In time to see him die.

The Daffodils

I wandered like a cloud
O’er hills both tall and proud,
And they were well endowed
In daffodilian shroud.

The Raven

A-rapping at my door,
A raven fluttered o’er,
And said I’d see Lenore,
But when? Why, “nevermore.”

Gunga Din

Oh here comes Gunga Din,
With water in a skin.
Although he’s frail and thin,
He’s better than I’ve been.

Paul Revere’s Ride

Now kiddies come and hear
The tale of Paul Revere,
Who shouted loud and clear,
“The British, they are here!”

The Charge of the Light Brigade

The gallant Light Brigade
Went charging up a grade.
They did as they were bade,
And then they all was dade.

Jabberwocky

“Beware” his dad implored.
He took his vorpal sword,
through tulgey wood explored.
Then snickersnack! He scored!

all of the poetry of e. e. cummings

with letters small in size
e cummings acted wise
he opted to stylize
and on that cap’talize

Specifications restated.
It is a 4 line poem. (A single quatrain)
Metered: Iambic trimeter.
Rhymed: Monorhyme. Pattern aaaa

My example

The Road Not Taken (Paraphrased Great Poetry)

The roads diverged, oh yes,
I chose and felt no stress
the road then travelled less.
‘Twas meant to be I guess.

© Lawrencealot – January 10, 2015

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