The Swap Quatrain was created by Lorraine M. Kanter. Each stanza in the poem must be a quatrain (four lines) where the first line is reversed in the fourth line. In addition, line 2 must rhyme with line 1, and line 3 must rhyme with line 4 and so on, BUT not repeat the same rhyming pattern on subsequent stanzas. Rhyming pattern: aabb, ccdd and so on.
Example
(Swap Quatrain)
Heartfelt
His clothes did stink, his coat was old
He came inside to leave the cold.
He needed food he needed drink.
His coat was old his clothes did stink.
Said youngest boy, “Give me a loan.”
He had one dollar of his own.
I thought he wanted fries or toy.
“Give me a loan,” said youngest boy,
To his one buck he added mine
boy calculating, said, “That’s fine
for that old guy down on his luck.”
He added mine to his one buck.
I was so proud to see him give.
His heart showed us all how to live.
He did not ask, “Was that allowed?”
to see him give, I was so proud.
© Lawrencealot – December 30, 2012
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