Pathways for the Poet by Viola Berg (1977) is a book for and by educators. Classic poetic forms as well as many invented forms which appear to have been invented as teaching tools or exercizes for use in workshops or classrooms are included. Some of these invented forms I have found in use in internet poetry communities, a testament to their staying power. On this page I include the metric invented forms found there in which appear to be exclusive to the community of educators from whom Ms. Berg drew her support. I have yet to find these in any other source. …. Whether classroom exercise or sharpening your skill as a writer, some of these forms can be fun to play with.
• Sestennelle is a stanzaic invented form introduced by Lyra LuVaile with a variable meter.
The Sestenelle is:
○ stanzaic, written in any number of sixains made up of 2 tercets. The original is 3 sixains.
○ metric, iambic, L1&L4 a dimeter, L2&L5 are trimeter and L3&L6 are pentameter.
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme aabccb ddeffe gghiih etc.
○ suggested that the lines be centered.
Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1199#dionol
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.
My example
In Choosing Well (Sestenelle)
It has been said
a soul may search ahead
and choose themselves the parents who’ll conceive
their earthy form.
There must have been a swarm
of applicants if that’s what you believe.
If such is true
Amera’s baby knew
that boundless warmth and love and gratitude
would come his way
for each and every day
he shared with her; he knew with certitude.
It seem to me,
that through her he shall see
the wonders other children just might miss,
and through his eyes
(this can be no surprise)
his mom will view new realms of earthly bliss.
© Lawrencealot – September 27, 2014
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