Created by C. G. V. Lewis, the Quadrilew is a form of quatrain poem
with an abab rhyming scheme, repeating lines, and contains an alternating syllable structure.
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This is a stanzaic, form requiring 4 quatrains.
It is syllabic with two forms, either 5/6/5/6 repeating or 6/5/6/5 repeating.
Minimum 16 lines, No meter specified.
Refrains: The Nth line of the first quatrain is the first line of the Nth quatrain.
In the first verse, the poet may either start with a five or six syllable line.
The poem requires FOUR quatrains
Rhyme pattern: aBAB2 Baba Abab B2aba, when the capitalized letters represent the three refrain lines.
VERSE ONE,
Line 1, 5 syllables.
Line 2, 6 syllables.
Line 3, 5 syllables.
Line 4, 6 syllables.
VERSE TWO,
Line 1, (which is a REPEAT of line 2 of the FIRST verse) has 6 syllables.
Line 2 new line of 5 syllables
Line 3 new line of 6 syllables
Line 4 new line of 5 syllables.
VERSE THREE,
Line 1, (which is a REPEAT of line 3 of the first verse) has 5 syllables.
Line 2 new line of 6 syllables.
Line 3 new line of 5 syllables.
Line 4 new line of 6 syllables.
VERSE FOUR,
Line 1, (which is a REPEAT of line 4 of the first verse) has 6 syllables.
Line 2 new line of 5 syllables.
Line 3 new line of 6 syllables.
Line 4 new line of 5 syllables.
If the first line of verse one has 6 syllables then the pattern is
Verse 1, 6565,
Verse 2, 5656,
Verse 3, 6565,
Verse 4 5656: (the rhyme pattern still being abab.)
If wishing to create a longer poem then the next verse (5)
must be a completely fresh set of four lines,
these being used as before in the following three verses.
Example Poem
My Goat (Quadrilew)
Visual Template
This is the 5/6 option
