Tag Archives: Clitheroe

Nocturna

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Since I found this form nowhere else, but repeated many times by different poets on The Poets Garret site, I am making assumptions based upon the poems found there.

Specifications Restated:

  • A 9 line poem based upon a nocturnal theme
  • Rhyme Scheme: abacbcdbd
  • Metered in iambic pentameter.

The following description is reposted with permission from The Poets Garret, with thanks to Terry Clitheroe.

Nocturna

The word was first used by Christians and was a form of night prayers Later appeared in the 18th century and was derived from the French nocturnal and was usually music inspired by the night and played at evening parties. During that time poetry was also recited.

The painter Whistler used that name in some of his paintings, they also had a night theme, which in turn inspired Chopin to write his well loved Nocturnes.

The Nocturna is basically a nine line poetry form based on the nocturne theme containing three, three line lessons recited during the night. The subject must be nocturnal and it consists of three couplets linked by the rhyme of the centre line;

a. b. a. c. b. c. d. b. d.

My Star ‘Till The Morn

She sang softly like a bird taking flight,
It was then that I fell in love with her.
I wanted to hear her all through the night
Though the radio now plays another song,
I imagined that her voice was pure sugar
Her presence now haunts me all winter long
I close my eyes, because a dream’s been born,
I know I will see her soon this summer
The woman who’s now my star til the morn.

Terry Clitheroe

 

My Example

Form: Nocturna

Toward Brighter Nights


Attending school and working in the day
I’m occupied, but that’s not true at night.
My lonely longing comes when you’re away.
The moon that gave your lovely face a glow
when on our swing we held each other tight
brings brightness to the frigid fields of snow.
For one more season we will be apart
then your return shall set my ev’nings right
and knowing that allows me to take heart.

© Lawrencealot – February 24, 2015

Visual Template

Tawddgyrch Cadwynog

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Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Stanzaic

Description: (TOWDD-girch ca-DOY-nog) This is a Welsh line form consisting of three to five sections of tetrasyllabic verse with abbc or abba rhyme that continues into the next line.

Origin: Welsh

Schematic:

xxxa xxxb xxxb xxxc
xxxa xxxb xxxb xxxc

Or:

xxxa xxxb xxxb xxxa
xxxa xxxb xxxb xxxa

The scheme follows through at least two lines, then can change.

Pasted from Poetry Base/Poetry Gnosis, with thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful resource.

This form consists of stanzas of usually four, lines, of four syllables: A. B. B. A.

Like the Rhupunt, it is common to join the lines together and end up with the two stanzas making a couplet.

X X X A X X X B X X X B X X X A.

X X X A X X X B X X X B X X X A.

In subsequent stanzas the rhyme may change, but not the pattern, C. D.D. C. and so on.

Pasted from The Poets Garret, with thanks to John Clitheroe for his work on the site.

My Example

Form: Tawddgyrch Cadwynog

A Variable Line Count Poem

To get it right
pen four by four
then add four more;
that’s how you write.

This form is tight
and furthermore
it is a chore
that does delight.

Two quatrains do
a couplet make;
and then you take
them up by two

(I know you knew),
for heaven’s sake
this takes the cake,
a brand new view.

OR

To get it right pen four by four
then add four more; that’s how you write.
This form is tight and furthermore
it is a chore that does delight.

Two quatrains do a couplet make;
and then you take them up by two
(I know you knew), for heaven’s sake
this takes the cake, a brand new view.

OR

To get it right pen four by four then add four more; that’s how you write.
This form is tight and furthermore it is a chore that does delight.
Two quatrains do a couplet make; and then you take them up by two
(I know you knew), for heaven’s sake this takes the cake, a brand new view.

© Lawrencealot – January 26, 2015

Séadna (shay'-na)

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Séadna is:
    1. written in any number of quatrains.
    2. syllabic 8-7-8-7.
    3. written with L1 and L3, 2 syllable end words; L2 and L4, 1 syllable end words.
    4. rhymed. L2 and L4 end rhyme, L3 rhymes with the stressed word preceding the final word of L4. There are two aicill-rhymes in the second couplet.
    5. composed with alliteration in each line, the final word of L4 alliterating with the preceding stressed word. The final syllable of L1 alliterates with the first stressed word of L2.x x x x x x (x a)
      x a x x x x b
      x x x b x x (x c)
      x b x c x x b

Many thanks to John Clitheroe for his work on the PoetsGarret site.

Séadna (shay’-na):
A quatrain stanza of alternating octosyllabic lines with disyllabic endings and heptasyllabic lines with monosyllabic endings. Lines two and four rhyme, line three rhymes with the stressed word preceding the final word of line four. There are two cross-rhymes in the second couplet. There is alliteration in each line, the final word of line four alliterating with the preceding stressed word. The final syllable of line one alliterates with the first stressed word of line two.
B x x x x x (x a)
x x x x x x b
x x x x c x (x c)
x b x c x x B
Caring for the watercolor
I find you looking at me there
Blush to white palor, dim valor,
Thus, where its blue core had found care.
Kathy Anderson
Example poem
Fight on Poet
Fight on against fear of failure;
cure your weary will and fright.
Pursue dreams; ignore cause killing
themes, write– winning thrilling fight.
(c) Lawrencealot – July 4, 2012
Visual Aid
  
This is my 2nd attempt to write specs for this form.  It is without a doubt the most demanding poetry form I have encountered.  Since it is not possible to make a template that is much more than the equivalent of house plans on a napkin, handed to an architect…I have included the check list I referred to repeatedly while writing this one verse poem.
Besides being overly challenged for a long while; I chose a one verse poem so I could demo the Line 4 2nd word rhyme, and the first-last unity.
Enjoy…this form will help fight off dementia.