McWhirtle

A McWhirtle is a light verse form similar to a double dactyl, invented in 1989 by American poet Bruce Newling. McWhirtles share essentially the same form as double dactyls, but without the strict requirements, making them easier to write. Specifically:
• McWhirtles do not require a nonsense phrase (e.g., “Higgledy piggledy”) on the first line.
• There is no requirement for a double-dactylic word in the second stanza.
• There is an extra unstressed syllable added to the beginning of the first line of each stanza.
• Although the meter is the same as in a double-dactyl, syllables may move from the end of one line to the beginning of the next for readability.
The looser form allows poets additional freedom to include additional rhymes and other stylistic devices.
The form is named after the fictional protagonist in an early example by Newling, included with his original written description of the form, dated August 12, 1989; but his first McWhirtle, in which his friend “Skip” Ungar is the protagonist and which also appeared with his original description, was:
The Piano Player
I read in the papers
That Harry F. Ungar
Performs in a night spot
Near soigne Scotch Plains,
Caressing the keyboard
While affluent yuppies
Are eating and drinking
Their capital gains.
The first published description of the McWhirtle, with examples, was in E.O. Parrott, ed., How to Be Well-Versed in Poetry, London: Viking, 1990, pp. 197-200; and the verse form was also described in Anne H. Soukhanov, Word Watch – The Stories Behind the Words of Our Lives, New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1995, pp. 388-89.
An example by American poet Kenn Nesbitt:
Fernando the Fearless
We’re truly in awe of
Fernando the Fearless
who needed no net
for the flying trapeze.
Alas, what a shame
it’s surprisingly difficult
catching a bar
in the midst of a sneeze.
Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McWhirtle>
 
Sample poem
Wake-Up, It’s Not Suzie
When waking up drunken
Sometimes I have thunken
how far I have sunken
in shame? Who’s the dame
in this bed?  If I open
my eyes and then hope I
have not, that I’m coping
with dreams, is that lame?
(c) Lawrencealot – July 8, 201
Visual Example
Note: only the 4th and 8th line rhyme are required.

 

Ottava Anna

This is an OTTAVA ANNA Form
Invented by Carol Anne Gordon, aka Mystictarusritr on Allpoetry.com.
Derived from Ottava Rima form
Written in pentameter, frequently iambic.
internal and end-rhyme schemes.
Internal rhyme is on syllable 4 or 5 each line.
External rhyme is on syllable 10 each line.
There is to be a Volta line 4 or 5 or…
\
Internal ~ abbaaccb
External ~ deeddffe
The rhyme scheme may be turned inside out if you like
Internal ~  deeddffe
External ~  abbaaccb
Example Poem
Pit  Stop
Assistance desired- the girl did perceive
a hunk with the quick good looks she did seek
pumping gas.  Her trick had worked once last week.
Promptly she inquired “What do you believe
has this time transpired that you can relieve?”
The hunk turned away, and started to grieve.
You see he was gay, and hoped to leave soon.
He saw the oil slick- third head pulled this week.
© Lawrencealot – June 2, 2012
Visual Template

Oxlylet

Invented by Bhaskar Datta
Within a Triolet, the 1st, 4th, and  7th lines
repeat, and the 2nd and 8th lines do as well.
The rhyme scheme is simple:  ABaAabAB, capital
letters representing the repeated lines.
Make writing a Triolet more challenging!
Make each line 8 syllables in length (4 metrical feet),
written in iambic tetrameter (the more common way),
or try it in pentameter (English version)
NOW that you have done that, add an oxymoron to each line and you have an OXYLET
Example Poem
Left Aint Right
Now we will try to right a wrong
for we don’t find the left is right.
We are aroused, but passive throng.
Now we will try to right a wrong
We’ll loudly sing our quiet song
and wage this year our peaceful fight.
Now we will try to right a wrong
for we don’t find the left is right.
Visual Template

 

Triolet

A Triolet is a poetic form consisting of only 8 lines.           
Within a Triolet, the 1st, 4th, and  7th lines          
repeat, and the 2nd and 8th lines do as well.           
The rhyme scheme is simple:  ABaAabAB, capital          
letters representing the repeated lines.    
 
There is no set syllable count, although the preferred one for repeating forms is the standard of eight syllables but there are many good examples around using iambic pentameter and similar meters.
Example Poem:
Pug Peed Too     (Triolet)
Into the copse we walked to take a pee.
I watched for cops, Pug just lifted his leg.
I’m glad Ms. Klag, the nag, saw him not me.
Into the copse we walked to take a pee.
I’ll merely bail him out and set him free.
and remember my next Pug should be Peg.
Into the copse we walked to take a pee.
I watched for cops, Pug just lifted his leg.
 
(c) Lawrencealot –  June, 2012
 
Picture Credit:  www.pinterest.com
 
 
Visual Template
 
 

Trois-par-Huit

The Trois-par-Huit is a short eight line poetic form that is striking and fun to play with.
This form was created by Lorraine M. Kanter
and goes by a few other names as well, the Octa tri and the Three by Eight just to name a couple.
The structure of the Trois-par Huit is easy to compose as it only has three stanzas of 3,3,2 or 3,2,3, lines which can be decided on your own personal taste.
As with many forms the Trois-par-Huit has a syllable count: 3/6/9/12/12/9/6/3.
Rhyme scheme: aabbbccc.
The last line of the poem should be the title of the piece
and should summarize what the poem is about.
Example Poem:
Finish Forms
Quench my thirst.
The unknown  is the curse.
I must scour pages of AP sages
Find their every form though it may take me ages.
Then if they keep inventing… put  them in cages.
In cases where changes come in swarms
document  all the norms.
Finish forms.
© Lawrencealot – April 21, 2012