Tag Archives: 8 lines

Wreathed and Unwreathed Octave

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The following description is reposted with permission from The Poets Garret. My thanks to Ryter Roethicle.

Wreathed Octave

Wreathed poetry is simply a natural blending of English poetry with the Celtic Welsh. Its creator George Herbert was born into a wealthy artistic family in Wales and later was educated in Trinity College, Cambridge and was unpublished until after his death. It is believed that his poem A Wreath was inspired by the Welsh form Englyn cryrch which uses an internal rhyme scheme with an external one and gives a couplet scheme of:

x. x. x. x. x. x. x. a.
x. a. x. x. x. x. x. b.

 

 

 

The red in the second line indicates that the internal rhyme can be anywhere in the first part of second line and can be a repeat word rather than a rhyme. that is the poets decision. There is no internal rhyme in the first line, It was later that poets saw the possibilities and created the octave with a rhyme scheme of:

 

x. x. x. x. x. x. x. a.
x. a. x. x. x. x. x. b.
x. b. x. x. x. x. x. a.
x. a. x. x. x. x. x. b.
x. b. x. x. x. x. x. c.
x. c. x. x. x. x. x. d.
x. d. x. x. x. x. x. c.
x. c. x. x. x. x. x. d.

 

 

 

Here is an example of that form:

 

Shrouded Thoughts

 

Must I wait one more day to speak to you
Tell you of my eternal love and desire to share.
Everything I dare you know I will pursue
In that pursuit, there is nothing I will not dare.
Knowing you care, certain of you wanting me
Especially of being betrayed in the recent past
Now that is past even more I need certainty
Are you my certainty and will our love last?

Ryter Roethicle

 

Un-wreathed Octave

Later poets realised that some Irish forms led with an internal form and from that was born Un-wreathed poetry, simply the reverse of Wreathed in that the first line starts with an internal rhyme with the second external and so on, there being no fifth line there is no external rhyme, giving it a basic rhyme scheme of:

x. b. x. x. x. x. x. a.
x. a. x. x. x. x. x. b.
x. b. x. x. x. x. x. a.
x. c. x. x. x. x. x. b.
x. d. x. x. x. x. x. c.
x. c. x. x. x. x. x. d.
x. d. x. x. x. x. x. c.
x. x. x. x. x. x. x. d.

 

 

My Example

Form: Wreathed Octave

Homeostasis

The water from the snow today
is stored away in mountains high
so we’re not dry come late in May.
Don’t damn the grey bleak winter sky
I don’t deny fair skies are good,
but fields and wood would suffer drought
were they without the snow that stood;
because it could we’re not without.

© Lawrencealot – March 1, 2015

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Verso-Rhyme

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• Verso-Rhyme is an invented verse form introduced by L. Ensley Hutton and written without punctuation except for an exclamation at the end. Therefore, I can only assume that the poem should be written on a subject the poet feels emphatically about. 

The Verso-Rhyme is:
○ an octastich, a poem in 8 lines.
○ syllabic, 6-4-6-4-6-4-6-4 syllables per line.
○ rhyme, xaxbxaxb. x being unrhymed.
○ usually right margined.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1882#verso
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My example

Mother Sez (Verso-Rhyme)

I’ve tried to teach you son,
to give a darn.
Your puppy chewed my shoes
that were non-skid.
This is a house and it
is not a barn.
Put down the toilet seat!
Don’t slam the lid!

© Lawrencealot – October 30, 2014

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Verso-Rhyme

Octaz Rhyme

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• The Octaz Rhyme is a simple invented verse form introduced by Chazz Combs.
The Octaz Rhyme is:
○ an octastich, a poem in 8 lines.
○ syllabic, 3-5-8-10-7-5-4-2 syllables per line.
○ rhymed, abbccdda.
○ centered on the page.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?/topic/2192-invented-forms-from-poetry-styles/
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My example

Petition for Slack  (Octaz Rhyme)

Just the facts
No need to emote
or offer up some obscure quote.
Just lay it on me darling, here and now.
I’ve screwed up again somehow
If I gave offense
it’s ‘cus I’m dense,
relax.

© Lawrencealot – October 22, 2014

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Octaz Rhyme

Metric Pyramid

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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.

• Metric Pyramid is a verse form that builds a pyramid from the top down with lengthening metric feet per line, created by John Milton Smither.

The Metric Pyramid is:
○ a shape poem, center the poem on the page.
○ an octastich, a poem in 8 lines.
○ metric, graduated iambic metric feet in each line. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 metric feet per line.
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme abbaabba.
.

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

Merger (Metric Pyramid)

Merger

Pastel
aroma’s scent
the songbird’s song augment.
His harmony accents the smell
and amplifies the notion all is well.
Light colors gild both bird and blossoms to cement
an image melded with perfume and sounds that represent
a tranquil treat that must be meant for mankind’s gift, his angst to quell.

© Lawrencealot – September 19, 2014

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Metric Pyramid

Italian Octave

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Italian Octave

Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Stanzaic
Description: Iambic pentameter octaves rhymed abbaabba. It is the basis of the first part of the Italian sonnet.
Origin: Italian
Schematic: 
Rhyme: abbaabba
Meter: xX xX xX xX xXR
Rhythm/Stanza Length: 8

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/001/153.shtml
My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

My example

Hanging On (Italian Octave)

More bothersome the gusts became today,
disturbing my tranquility, and more,
as leaves from autumn limbs, the breezes tore.
The wind grew stronger causing limbs to sway,
then gusts removed more leaves, and took them ‘way.
“Don’t strip them all”, I heard myself implore
as more fell quietly to forest floor.
Yet some remained; like me, ’twas not their day.

© Lawrencealot – September 6, 2014

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Italian Octave

Dr Stella

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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.

• Dr Stella is a verse using sequential rhyme*. It was developed by James Gray in honor of Dr Stella Woodall who was at one time president of the American Poetry League and editor of a couple of poetry magazines.

The Dr Stella is:
an octave made up of 2 quatrains.
metered, alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter.
rhymed, abcdabcd. L2 and L6 have feminine end words.

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.

*This is also known as external rhyme or remote rhyme.

My example

Nail-Biting (Dr Stella)

Two golden-agers in a room
complained about mate’s habits.
“It irritates and drives me mad,
I need to find relief”.
“I know the way to cure your groom
as I did mine, dad-nabbit. 
Do what I did to my old Brad
and simply hide his teeth.”

© Lawrencealot – September 6, 2014

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Dr Stella

Copla de Arte Mayor

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Copla de Arte  Mayor
The copla de arte mayor is a Spanish verse form. It’s an 8-line stanza rhyming abbaacca. Each line is of 12 syllables, with a specific metre. The stresses are on syllables 2, 5, 8 and 11 i.e. it is in amphibrachic tetrameter.

Don’t feed the troll!

Incontinent, ugly, destructive and smelly,
The troll is a loathsome and pitiful creature.
It lacks any pleasant or positive feature.
There’s hate in its heart and there’s bile in its belly.
You never should feed it – no, not on your Nelly!
It isn’t a candidate for conservation;
The world would improve with its elimination.
Let’s boot out the troll – go on, give it some welly!

I recently encountered a particularly unpleasant troll that took its pleasure from being abusive about other people’s poems. I feel better now, thank you.
Later: We have discovered that the troll was also a serial plagiarist.

Pasted from <http://volecentral.co.uk/vf/cdam.htm>
My thanks to Bob Newman for his years of work on the wonderful Volecentral resource.

My example poem

Mary Boren, Meter Maid (Copla de Arte Mayor)

When workshops of Mary’s were duly presented
attendees enhanced their own methods of writing.
Her critiques were kind, not demeaning or biting.
The participants found their skill sets augmented,
and friendships of poets therein were cemented.
No other impacted me more so than Mary
Her scansion of meter is extraord’nary.
Encounters with Mary will leave one contented.

© Lawrencealot – August 5, 2014

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( a poem of 8 lines)

Copla de Atre Mayor

The Yeats

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• The Yeats is a verse form patterned after Where My Books Go by Irish poet, William Butler Yeats. (1865-1939)

The Yeats is:
○ an octastich, a poem in 8 lines.
○ metric, accentual 3 heavy stresses per line.
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme xaxaxaxa x being unrhymed. The even numbered lines have feminine or falling end syllables.

Where My Books Go by William Butler Yeats
All the words that I utter,
And all the words that I write,
Must spread out their wings untiring,
And never rest in their flight,
Till they come where your sad, sad heart is,
And sing to you in the night,
Beyond where the waters are moving,
Storm-darken’d or starry bright.
Pasted from <http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=668>
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work creating this wonderful PMO resource,

My Example Poem

Annie’s Gone (The Yeats)

Every thought I’m thinking
and every word I write
revolves around your leaving;
I’m all alone tonight.
I could not have predicted
when all things seemed alright
that hearts so bound together
could not restrict your flight.

© Lawrencealot – August 1, 2014

Pendulum

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  • The Pendulum is an invented verse form that features graduated line lengths. It was created by Etta J Murphy and was first published in Calkins, Haiku Highlights (July-August 1970).The Pendulum is:
    • a poem in 8 lines, an octastich.
    • syllabic, 8/6/4/2/2/4/6/8 syllables per line.
    • rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbccdd.
My Thanks to Judi Van Gorder for the wonderful resource at PMO
My Example Poem
Put Fear AND Foolishness Astern   (The Pendulum)
We live in a contingent world
where accidents are hurled.
Things break and fall
and all
our skill
still never will
be shield against events.
I find avoidance fine defense.
© Lawrencealot – April 4, 2014
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Octodil

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  • The Octodil is an invented verse form that uses only even numbered syllable lines. It was created by Viola Berg.The Octodil is:
    • a poem in 8 lines, an octastich.
    • syllabic, 4/4/6/6/8/8/6/6 syllables per line.
    • unrhymed and no feminine or falling end words.
. 
My Thanks to Judi Van Gorder for the wonderful resource at PMO
My Example poem
Who Says?   (Octodil)
An owl flew by
and looked into my eyes
and though I know I’d heard
him hooting in the dark of night
I’d never seen the fellow’s face.
I’ve understood that owl’s
are wise- it’s true; he did
not ask me “Who?”
© Lawrencealot – April 3, 2014