Tag Archives: 7 lines

Star Sevlin

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Star Sevlin is an invented shape poem that is supposed to form a star when centered on the page. It is found in Pathways for the Poet by Viola Berg 1977 and was created by Lilliann Mathilda Svenson. The only example I found on the Internet today (1/30/2015) was a contest winner in 1951.

The Star Sevlin is:

  • a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
  • iambic syllabic, iambic 4/6/8/6/8/6/4 syllables per line.
  • rhymed, rhyme scheme abbcaca.
  • centered on the page.

My Example

Form: Star Sevlin

First One in 50 Years

I don’t know why
this form is called a star
and not Svenson’s. That’s how things are.
There isn’t much to find
Good samples are in short supply
Thus my blog was designed
lest old forms die.

© Lawrencealot – January 30, 2015

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Sevenling

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A Sevenling is a poem of seven lines with similar structure to this poem by Anna Akhmatova:[1]

He loved three things alone:
White peacocks, evensong,
Old maps of America.

He hated children crying,
And raspberry jam with his tea,
And womanish hysteria.

… And he married me.[2]

Structure: Lines one to three should contain three connected or contrasting statements, or a list of three details, names or possibilities. This can take up all of the three lines or be contained anywhere within them.
Lines four to six should similarly have three elements (statements, details, names, or possibilities) connected directly or indirectly or not at all.
The seventh line should act as a narrative summary or punchline or an unusual juxtaposition.
While there are no set metrical rules, because of its form, some rhythm, meter and/or rhyme is desirable. The visual structure of the form is two stanzas of three lines, with a solitary seventh line last line. Titles are not required. The original convention was to titled the sevenling: “Sevenling (followed by the first few words in parentheses)”, but the form has evolved to other title conventions including dropping “Sevenling” completely from the title.
Sevenling should be mysterious, offbeat or disturbing, giving a feeling that only part of the story is being told.

History: Roddy Lumsden invented the form about ten years ago[when?] as part of a teaching exercise.[citation needed]
Poets like Sherman Alexie[3] and Richard Garcia have published the form.

Pasted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevenling

Sevenling (In Darkness)

In darkness all things secret hide.
Moody phantoms, naked truths and lonely tears
thrive amid the dark place of my mind.

In sunlight all things happy rule —
blooming flowers, clear blue skies and singing birds.
But still, with light, the dark is more defined —

a faceless shadow keeps pace with me.

Pasted from <http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1854775-Sevenling-In-Darkness>

My example

My Wife (Sevenling)

She liked cooking,
and hunting,
and quilting.

She disliked pretense,
sexual predators,
and shopping –

And she loved me.

Seafonn

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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.

• Seafonn (Anglo Saxon for seven) is a verse form named for its total number of lines, introduced by Elizabeth Maxwell Phelps.An argument is presented in the first 5 lines and the counter point in the ending couplet. A lot to jam into such a short frame.

The Seafonn is:
○ a heptastich made up of quintain followed by a couplet.
○ metric, iambic tetrameter, with L2 and L5 catalectic.
○ rhymed, abccb aa.
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
Black Holes Debunked in 2014 (Seafonn)
Now, Laura Mercini-Houghton has shown
with undisputable Mathematics
that black holes are but fables, make-believe.
When stars collapse (some do, so do not grieve)
they emit what we hear as statics.
The therefore lose some mass. The theory’s blown.
No black hole singularity is grown.
© Lawrencealot – September 25, 2014

Neville

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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.
• Neville is a verse form with a combination of trimeter and tetrameter lines, created in honor of Mrs. Neville Saylor byJames B. Gray.

The Neville is:
○ a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
○ metric, L1, L4, & L7 are iambic tetrameter and L2,L3,L5 & L6 are iambic trimeter.
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme abbacca.

Macy’s Parade Day by Judi Van Gorder

At times like these when nights are long
and cold becomes a skean
that stabs my flesh between
my shoulder blades, the wind is strong.
I bundle for the chill,
wool scarf a codicil,
then venture out to join the throng.

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

School Lunch Vegetable (Neville)

School Lunch Vegetable

When catsup’s spilled upon my plate,
I’m not disturbed at all.
A puddle large or small
is merely sitting there as bait.
A tasty morsel swipes
then bread or finger wipes.
I can’t remember what I ate.

© Lawrencealot – September 19, 2014

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Neville

Duni

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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 Duni has a complicated metric pattern and includes a pivot or change of thought in L6.  Created by Mildred Dewey. 

The Duni is:
○ a heptastich, 7 line poem.
○ metered, 
L1 1 dactyl followed by 2 trochees and an Iamb 
L2 3 iambs
L3 a trochee followed by an anapest and 2 iambs
L4 3 iambs
L5 3 iambs
L6 4 iambs
L7 1 iamb, followed by an anapest and an iamb
○ composed with a pivot or change of thought in L6.
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme abcacba.

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

Selective Perception Advised (Duni)

Paying attention makes lots of sense.
It’s socially astute.
Notice your wife’s nails or her French-braid
and she’ll take no offense.
But man, I’d be afraid
to note another’s wife is cute.
Observing that’s somewhat dense.

© Lawrencealot – September 9, 2014

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Duni

Canopus

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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. I have included the syllabic invented forms on a separate page. Whether classroom exercise or sharpening your skill as a writer, some of these forms can be fun to play with.

• Canopus is an invented verse form which stresses a “continuous flow of thought”. This is attributed to author Clement Wood of The Complete Rhyming Dictionary and Poet’s Craft Book 1936.

Canopus is also the 2nd brightest star in Earth‘s sky, though not visible to anyone living above latitude 37 degrees north of the northern hemisphere.

The Canopus is:
○ a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
○ metric, written in iambic pentameter.
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme ababcbc.

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

Pending Love  (Canapus)

My love for you was quietly ensconced
in silent hidden realms where love resides
and flourishes when touched by thought just once.
We never met where such a love abides,
but my imagination holds a view
that time will cure that fault for us; besides,
to love is next to being loved by you.

© Lawrencealot – September 3, 2014

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Canapus

The Anna

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I found a few invented forms which appear to be exclusive to The Study and Writing of Poetry; American Women Poets Discuss Their Craft, 1983. The book is a collection of essays from 50 American women poets, each essay provides insights into a multitude of topics from poetic genres, stanzaic forms, to writing techniques. This book provided some addition insights and background information on several stanzaic forms that I thought I had researched fully. I liked this book, it pays attention to the details.
• The Anna was invented in honor of Arkansas, poet and news columnist, Anna Nash Yarbrough by James R. Gray of California. This creator suggests the theme for this metric verse be love.

The Anna is:
○ a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
○ metric, iambic pattern, L1 dimeter, L2 trimeter, L3 tetrameter, L4 pentameter, L5 tetrameter, L6 trimeter and L7 dimeter.
○ unrhymed. 

Vows by Judi Van Gorder

Within
a moment
filled with orchids
and sweet Savignon
we pledged our lives
forever
to love.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=2008#anna

My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource. Alas in this case, she did not get the measure correct.

My example

Miles to Go Before We Slept (The Anna)

I traveled miles
because you tempted me
by voice and thought and written word.
My travels proved to be well worth the while
I fetched you home, and home
you made for me.

© Lawrencealot – August 22, 2014

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The Anna

Cross Limerick

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• Cross Limerick is an American invented form, a variation of the Limerick found in Pathways of a Poet by Viola Berg. It adds a couple of lines to the Limerick verse form.

The Cross Limerick is:
○ metered verse written in anapestic patterns. L1, L2 and L7 are trimeter (3 metric feet) and L3,L4,L5 and L6 are dimeter (2 metric feet). (anapest = da da DUM or u-u-S = unstressed , unstressed, stressed syllables.)
○ a septet. (7 lines).
○ best used for witty, whimsical, bawdy themes, light verse.
○ written with a rhyme scheme aabcbca.
○ no title is used.

Pasted from <http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1094#cross>
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My example poem

The girls who in short skirts walk the street
are not those that mom wants you to meet.
When they’re plying their wares
it’s with commerce in mind
they invite young men’s stares
and more if one’s inclined.
But the kindest of them can’t be beat.

© Lawrencealot – August 5, 2014
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Cross Limerick

The Binyon

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The Binyon is an envelope verse form with refrain patterned after the poem O World, Be Nobler by 19th century English poet Laurence Binyon. Binyon is known as a World War I poet. O World, is not his best known work, he is better known for For the Fallen which is often used in military memorial services.
The Binyon is:
• a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines.
• metered, iambic tetrameter.
• rhymed, rhyme scheme AbccbaA.
• composed with a refrain, the 1st line is repeated as the last line.
O World, Be Nobler Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)
O WORLD, be nobler, for her sake!
If she but knew thee what thou art,
What wrongs are borne, what deeds are done
In thee, beneath thy daily sun,
Know’st thou not that her tender heart
For pain and very shame would break?
O World, be nobler, for her sake!
Pasted from <http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=668>
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for the wonderful PMO resource.
My example poem
Election Comes First (The Binyon)
I want you all to rest assured
I can be trusted with your vote.
The moneyed crowd does not own me,
I’m independent as can be.
I’ve got no mistress, plane, or boat,
I will someday though, mark my word.
I want you all to rest assured.
© Lawrencealot – June 12, 2014
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The Binyon

Whitney

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WHITNEY
This titled syllabic form, created by Betty Ann Whitney, has exactly seven lines.
Syllable Pattern:  3/4/3/4/3/4/7
Example:
In the Garden Year
Voted best
Among the months
May and June
Sprout root and grow.
Soon will dance
On wiry stems
A blend of upturned blossoms.
Betty Ann Whitney, Wesley Chapel, FL
 
My Example Poem 
 
Introducing Summer   (Whitney)
Trampolines
and Bar-B-ques
and new mown
grass are mighty
fine, but still,
bikinis I
like best; hope I always will.
© Lawrencealot – April 15, 2014