This is a new form designed in June, 2013 by Laura Lamarca.
It is composed of 5 quatrain stanzas with varying length and meter, (20 lines)
but every line begins with an anapest foot.
This is a moderately difficult form to write.
The requirements of the form in her own words are:
Verses 1, 3 and 5
Rhyme scheme abab
L1 and L3 – 11 syllables, stressed syllables needed on beats 3, 6, 8 and 11
L2 and L4 – 9 syllables, stressed syllables needed on beats 3, 5, 7 and 9
Verse 2 and 4
Rhyme scheme baab
L1 and L4 – 9 syllables, stressed syllables needed on beats 3, 5, 7 and 9
L2 and L3 – 7 syllables, stressed syllables needed on beats 3 and 5.
MUST be a metaphoric poem, preferably dark and deeply emotive.
Rhyme scheme “abab cddc efef ghhg ijij” for the easy version (ababcddcefefghhgijij) or
Rhyme scheme “abab baab abab baab abab” for the more challenging version. (ababbaabababbaababab)
Example Poem
This was written for a contest to name the form, I thought LaAnapestia would have been descriptive, but my thinking did not prevail.
Liberty’s Tree (LaDan)
Disagreeable though it may be my friends,
a time comes when men who are born free,
(as all are), must leave kings who won’t make amends.
They are kings because we let them be.
The untried Americans-to-be
who’d displayed recalcitrance
now displayed recognizance
of the threat to their own liberty.
As the spirit of patriots now depends
on the Jefferson’s and Paine’s to see
better ways to assure the power extends
to the common man, they write their plea.
They were radicals, to disagree,
and they lacked the competence
to deny the providence
of the kings throughout our history.
It seems sometimes the voice of reason portends
a much greater change than taxing tea,
and revolution comes when man comprehends;
But it may cost blood from you and me.
© Lawrencealot – July 24, 2013
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