Tag Archives: 24 lines

Hourglass

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Hourglass
The Hourglass contains eight syllables per line, three stanzas, with a rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef.  Once written, the poem is then written ‘upside-down’ from the last line to the first line, and must make sense when read both ways.

Pasted from http://the.a.b.c.of.poetry.styles.patthepoet.com/index.html
Many Thanks to Christina R Jussaume for her work on the Poetry Styles site.

For many related forms, see Trick Poetry.

My example

School Daze (Hourglass)

I tried to write a simple verse,
I’m capable of simple thought.
My mother thought I could do worse
With all the schooling she had bought.

I’d been in school for years and years
Ideas had time to germinate
I overcame my silly fears
I said to mother, “You just wait!

I would not a good doctor make,
a physicist was out of reach,
how many more years will that take?
Perhaps I’d better plan to teach

Perhaps I’d better plan to teach,
how many more years will that take?
A physicist was out of reach;
I would not a good doctor make.

I said to mother, “You just wait!
I overcame my silly fears
Ideas had time to germinate
I’d been in school for years and years.

With all the schooling she had bought
My mother thought I could do worse.
I’m capable of simple thought,
I tried to write a simple verse.

© Lawrencealot – October 11, 2014

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Hourglass

Laurel

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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.
 
 

The Laurel is another invented verse form created by Viola Berg that switches meter and rhyme between stanzas.

The Laurel is:
a poem in 24 lines, made up of 4 sixains.
metric, L1, L3, L4, L5 are iambic tetrameter, L2 and L6 are iambic trimeter.
rhyme, abcccb adeeed fghhhg fijjji.
the trimeter lines are indented.
 

 

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

 Scorn the Reaper (Laurel)

You won’t find me afraid of him —
the reaper with the scythe.
I never was before this day;
I haven’t lived my life that way,
and that’s the way it’s gonna stay
as I run out my life.

He’s pictured as a guy that’s grim
but that’s a fantasy.
A tale that’s told (to what avail),
with heaven added to your hell?
I’ll live my life, and live it well,
for what shall be shall be.

My organs all shall pass to dust
as someday will the stars.
Before my intermission comes
I’ll eat fresh fruit and dried-out plums
I’ll dance to music played by drums
banjos and steel guitars.

I’ll acquire lovers, friends, and trust
that measure suits me fine.
My body’s served me, so’s my mind.
The body part, I’ll leave behind,
I’m not sure what my mind might find
and claim at last as mine.

© Lawrencealot – September 14, 2014

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Laurel

Dryden's Roundelay

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Dryden’s Roundelay
Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Repetitive Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Isosyllabic
Description: This is an isosyllabic fixed form in four sestets turning on only two rhymes with interweaving repetition. The sestets use alternating rhyme, as does the sicilian sestet. The last couplet is a refrain that appears in all four stanzas. The third and fourth lines in one stanza are the first and second in the next. So, there are only four lines not repeated: the first and second in the first stanza and the third and fourth in the fourth.
Attributed to: John Dryden
Origin: English
Schematic: Rhyme and repetition:
abA1B1A2B2
A1B1A3B3A2B2
A3B3A4B4A2B2
A4B4abA2B2.

Where A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, B3, and B4 are
repetitions or refrains.
Meter:  Xx Xx Xx Xx (Trochaic tetrameter)
Rhythm/Stanza Length: 6
Line/Poem Length: 24

Pasted from <http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/001/100.shtml>
My Thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his work on the wonderful poetrybase resource.
___________
Roundelay as defined in the dictionary is a short simple song with a refrain. However as a fixed stanzaic form, the English poet John Dryden, 1631-1700, created a two rhyme, repetition of lines in a set pattern that is recognized as the Roundelay, the English Roundelay or the Dryden Roundelay. In essence the poet writes only 12 of the 24 lines.

The English Roundelay is:
• stanzaic, four sixains (6 line stanzas).
• metric, often written in trochaic tetrameter with some of the lines catalectic (one syllable short) to create a strong end rhyme. (SuSuSuSu or SuSuSuS) S = stressed, u = unstressed
• rhymed, only 2 rhymes are used throughout the poem, alternating rhyme scheme ababab.
• composed with all lines repeated in a prescribed pattern except L1, L2, L21, and L22 which are not repeated. Pattern of repetition is abA¹B¹A²B² A¹B¹A³B³A²B² A³B³A4B4A²B² A4B4abA²B² .

from <http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?/topic/654-roundelay-or-english-roundelay-or-drydens-roundelay/> 

My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.
Here is Roundelay by John Dryden
I.
Chloe found Amyntas lying,
All in tears, upon the plain,
Sighing to himself, and crying,
Wretched I, to love in vain!
Kiss me, dear, before my dying;
Kiss me once, and ease my pain.
II.
Sighing to himself, and crying,
Wretched I, to love in vain!
Ever scorning, and denying
To reward your faithful swain.
Kiss me, dear, before my dying;
Kiss me once, and ease my pain.
III.
Ever scorning, and denying
To reward your faithful swain.—
Chloe, laughing at his crying,
Told him, that he loved in vain.
Kiss me, dear, before my dying;
Kiss me once, and ease my pain.
IV.
Chloe, laughing at his crying,
Told him, that he loved in vain;
But, repenting, and complying,
When he kissed, she kissed again:
Kissed him up, before his dying;
Kissed him up, and eased his pain.
Pasted from <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/roundelay/>
Related forms: Dryden’s Roundelay, Rondelet, Roundelay, Termelay

My Example Poem

Wrapper Rage (Dryden’s Roundelay)

Wrapper Rage

Fumbling like a foolish flake-
Package had such sight appeal.
Nigh impossible to break
Sealed with some sadistic zeal.
Foiled now is the thoughtless snake
Who would steal small things piecemeal.

Nigh impossible to break
Sealed with some sadistic zeal.
Wrapper rage, for heaven’s sake
Now is part of shopping’s deal.
Foiled now is the thoughtless snake
Who would steal small things piecemeal.

Wrapper rage, for heaven’s sake
Now is part of shopping’s deal.
Sometimes tin snips it may take
getting through the whole ordeal.
Foiled now is the thoughtless snake
Who would steal small things piecemeal.

Sometimes tin snips it may take
getting through the whole ordeal.
Save the clamshells just to bake!
Give us cartons we can peel.
Foiled now is the thoughtless snake
Who would steal small things piecemeal.

© Lawrencealot – August 8, 2014

Deco

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The Deco created by Mark Andrew J Terry of Allpoetry is:
a 21 line poem
Stanzaic, consisting of 3 sestets and a tercet in that order (24 lines)
Syllabic, where the first three stanzas are 7/8/8/8/8/6
and the last is 7/8/6
Rhymed: Abaccb dBdeeB fBfeeb Aba
Metric:
Line 1 is catalectic trochaic tetrameter
Lines 2 -5 iambic pentameter, and
Line 6 iambic trimeter
Refrain required: line 2 repeats in every stanza, and
line 1 repeats in line 20
My example poem
Borrowed Roses (Deco)
Borrowed Roses
Roses, pretty in a vase
were wasting their perfume I thought.
I purloined some to give to Grace.
She giggles when she is surprised
and shows a sparkle in her eyes.
That was the joy I sought.
Roses sitting all alone
were wasting their perfume I thought
and that I could not quite condone
when Grace would grin and maybe shriek
then hold my hand and kiss my cheek.
What if I did get caught?
Roses that were not deployed
were wasting their perfume I thought.
A rose was meant to be enjoyed.
Since pretty roses can’t misspeak
and mean the same in French or Greek
a life-long love was bought.
Roses, pretty in a vase
Were wasting their perfume I thought.
You should have seen her face.
© Lawrencealot – June 18, 2014
Picture credit: From Google pics, all rights belong to photographer.
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Deco

KyRenn

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This form was created by Kylie Routley, aka KyRenn on Allpoetry.
It consist of six quatrains, each set of three having only two rhymes.
Verse one and two being mono-rhyme, and verse three being alternating or cross rhyme.
Specifications not confirmed on meter and line length.
Be consistent.
A six stanza, mono-rhyme form with the following
Rhyme Scheme: aaaa bbbb abab cccc dddd cdcd
 
 Example Poem
 
Form a Study Group (KyRenn)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In lieu of study I chased skirts, 
Could not resist a girl that flirts. 
In life’s a meal they were desserts. 
Their pheromones are my alerts.
When any girl would wish to play, 
she knew she’d get this guy’s okay. 
If there’s  a party – right this way,
just hurry, hurry, ándale.*
My education, this subverts, 
this frivolity on display. 
I think to change, but mind reverts- 
Exciting curves!  Enticing sway!
I’d never cause a girl to fret 
or leave my presence with regret 
or leave them wanting on a bet 
should their own appetite be whet.
If fun is mutual and fair 
and drug abuse you do not bear 
just seize the joy while it is there 
for when you’re eighty you won’t care.
If on the way a mate is met
and each excites each anywhere, 
that is as good as things can get, 
so marry her and homework share.
© Lawrencealot – July 4th, 2013
 
 
  * The term ándale is variously used in Mexican slang to mean come, or okay, or finally.
 
 
Here is a Visual Template 
for an Iambic Tetrameter version:
 
 
 
 

Roundelay

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There is some confusion online as to the meaning of the term “roundelay,” with some references confusing it with the French “rondelet” and others describing it as any poem with a refrain. Actually, the roundelay, rondelet, rondeau, rondel, and other similar sounding poems all spring from a common French origin, but are all very different in contemporary use. The roundelay’s many repeating couplets and limited rhymes can make it a difficult form to write, but as with many successful poems with refrains, can also make for profound or esoteric poetry.
The roundelay consists of four sestets (six-line stanzas) made up of twelve repeating couplets (two-line stanzas, one of which repeats as each stanza’s last two lines. The stanzas’ couplets A,B,C,D ,E and R (the continuing refrain) combine in the following pattern:
A B R … B C R … C D R … D E R
So, in the second stanza, “B C R” represents six-lines (three couplets), with couplet “B” repeating from the first stanza, couplet “C” repeating in the following stanza, and its last couplet “R” repeating as every stanza’s last two lines. In addition, each couplet’s first line rhymes with other couplets’ first lines and all second lines rhyme with each other as well, making the rhyme scheme:
a-b-a-b-a-b … a-b-a-b-a-b … a-b-a-b-a-b … a-b-a-b-a-b
Remember that in a rhyming pattern, lines ending in a sound designated by “a” only rhyme with other “a” lines, “b” lines only with other “b” lines, and so on.
Trochaic tetrameter (four feet of “DUM-dah” per line, see “Meter”) is a requirement, but it is permissible for some of the lines to be one syllable short.

Related forms: Dryden’s Roundelay, Rondelet, Roundelay, Termelay

 
Example Poem
Write a Roundelay
Write in Trochees, DUM da sounding.
Search for words with good rhyme rating.
Rhymes once used will be compounding.
Words that fit will be elating.
Couplets through the verse, go bounding.
stuck together as though dating.
Rhymes once used will be compounding.
Words that fit will be elating.
Doubters now you’ll be confounding.
Roundelays you’re now creating.
Couplets through the verse, go bounding.
stuck together as though dating.
Doubters now you’ll be confounding.
Roundelays you’re now creating.
Couplets you composed.. astounding.
Each of them adds their own weighting.
Couplets through the verse, go bounding.
stuck together as though dating.
Couplets you composed.. astounding.
Each of them adds their own weighting.
I’m glad this poem is abating.
This is getting aggravating.
Couplets through the verse go bounding.
stuck together as though dating.
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