The Quintilla is a 16th century Spanish quintain with a rhyme scheme that is more about what cannot be done than what can be done.
The Quintilla is:
• syllabic verse, octasyllabic (8 syllable lines)
• stanzaic, written in any number of quintains (5 line stanzas).
• rhymed. In each quintain only 2 rhymes can be used and it cannot end in a rhyming couplet.
• There is choice of rhyme schemes of ababa, abbab, abaab, aabab, or aabba
• when written as a decastich, (2 quintillas) the verse is known as Copla Real
El Viejo by Judi Van Gorder 7/1/03
The ancient cur begins to rise
ignoring stiff, defiant bones.
Foolishly focused on the prize,
his awkward pounce elicits groans.
To snub one’s age, not always wise.
Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1015
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.
My example
I’m Shocked, I Did It! (Form: Quintilla)
Impossibly demanding task
when twenty-two whole words are asked
and forty syllables I need
according to Quintilla’s mask
but perseverance did succeed.
© Lawrencealot – January 9, 2015
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