Tag Archives: iambic pentameter

Villonnet

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A Villonnet is a hybrid of the Villanelle and the Sonnet. It has the Iambic Pentameter of both, but holds the four-stanza/line structure of the sonnet, while utilizing the two-line rhyme nature of the villanelle. The final stanza replaces the sonnet couplet with a typical villanelle tercet.
The Villonnet is another hybrid form created by D. Allen Jenkins. This is a recent invented form which is said to be a cross between a Villanelle andSonnet.
The Villonet is:
  • a poem in 15 lines, made up of 3 quatrains followed by a tercet.
  • metric, iambic pentameter.
  • rhymed, A¹bbA²cddceffeA¹bA² or A¹xxA²bxxbcxxcA¹xA² x being unrhymed.
  • NOTE: Jenkins also used A1xxA2axxA1axxA2
  • L1 is repeated as L13 and L4 is repeated as L15.
Thanks to Judi Van Gorder for the resource at PMO 
Example poem
Rooted #1
Rooted in Love    (Villonnet) 
A spell was cast to keep me from my bride 
Our lives could not be taken, we were changed; 
Our molecules were vastly rearranged. 
And I could break the spell if I but tried. 
I metamorphed, becoming half a man 
My wizard gave mobility to me, 
and said, “You must now find your sweetheart’s tree. 
Touch it and you’ll become as you began” 
I searched the valleys- climbed up many hill, 
I followed rumors sent from other trees; 
and pheromones relayed by helpful bees, 
and when I found her, she was lovely still. 
A spell was cast to keep me from my bride 
The one who cast the spell had been deranged
and I could break the spell if I but tried. 
Rooted #2
© Lawrencealot – Oct. 20, 2013 
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Grá Reformata

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The Grá Reformata, created by Michael King, is based upon the Villanelle form.
Following the basic setting of the Villanelle, the a Grá Reformata has an extra couplet between each tercet. This couplet can be either rhymed within the structure of the rest of the poem, or in free verse, but always in iambic pentameter.
This is Stanzaic pome of 27 lines, consisting of alternating tercets and couplets, followed by a quatrain.
Meter is Iambic Pentameter
 Rhyme Scheme is AbA2 xx abA xx abA2 xx abA xx abA2 abAA2, (AbA2xxabAxxabA2xxabAxxabA2abAA2)
where x is either rhymed or not, and A and A2 are Refrain lines.
Example Poem
 
Typhoon Flotilla     (Grá Reformata)
The mighty craft were built for wartime use
they’re armed with weapons, they’ll with luck, not need
and show their strength when faced with real excuse.
Typhoon Haiyan has stuck with natures force,
and man must bow to Gaia’s strength of course.
The USA and Britain ships have cruised
to technologically intercede.
The mighty craft were built for wartime use
A corpse-choked wasteland stretches through the land
with isolation hard to understand.
The ships provisioned for a grand re-use–
with craft to reach the folks they need to feed
and show their strength when faced with real excuse.
The helicopters may again save lives,
by reaching rural land where some survive.
The water Britain’s warships can produce
will be delivered with the greatest speed.
The mighty craft were built for wartime use.
The food and medicine that countries send
will find that structured order is their friend.
Relief efforts have no more time to lose
organization’s what makes ships succeed
and show their strength when faced with real excuse.
They’ll all work hard before their homeward cruise,
and try to help although their hearts may bleed.
The mighty craft were built for wartime use
and show their strength when faced with real excuse.
© Lawrencealot – November 27, 2013
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Analogue

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  • Analogue  is a metered invented form that is limited to 3 rhymes. It’s source is Rena Ferguson Parks a 20th century poet and educator.The Analogue is:
    • a poem of 9 lines.
    • metered, all lines are iambic pentameter.
    • rhymed, rhyme scheme abbaabbcc.
When I searched this was the only information available on the web, a big Thank you to PMO and Judi Van Gorder!!
Example Poem
Ladies Choice     (A double Analogue)
A group of girls without their men espy
a hotel; “Women only”,  sign proclaims.
“Hmm, let’s discover if it meets our aims?”.
The bouncer was a most attractive guy.
He told them how he hotel worked and why.
Enjoy your choice of floors to please all dames
each floor has signs instead of merely names.
The first floor sign said “men are short and plain”.
The gals just laughed then went on up again.On two the sign said “Short and handsome here”.
Not yet said one, continue to ascend.”
“Floor three has tall and plain”, one told her friend,
“We need to go on up, I think that’s clear.”
On four they saw the perfect sign appear:
“All men are tall and handsome without end!”
The girls were ready but could not pretend–
What might they miss? So they went up to five.
“Empty! You can’t please any gal alive.”
© Lawrencealot = November 26, 2013
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Rondeau Redoublé

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The rondeau redoublé is not an easy form to write. It uses only two rhymes throughout, repeats whole lines, and has an awkward repeated half-line at the end. Let’s look at an example.

The first stanza is the key to the whole poem. Its four lines reappear in turn as the final lines of the next four stanzas, and the first part of the first line reappears again as the half-line at the very end. Each stanza rhymes either abab or baba. For the sixth stanza, either is possible.

To write one of these, start with the final half-line, then do the opening stanza, and you’re half-way there.

Complication

The blessed Malcovati, curse him, tells us that one of the two rhyme groups in a rondeau redoublé must be masculine and the other feminine. (The example he gives appears not to satisfy this rule – or perhaps my French is not good enough to appreciate the way in which it does.) Anyway, if he is to be believed – and he usually is – the above is not a true example of the form after all. It still seems good enough to me, though.

Pasted from http://www.volecentral.co.uk/vf/rondouble.htm
with thanks to Bob Newman for his years of work on the wonderful Volecentral resource.

This seems as good a description as any I found, and the added info regarding complication allows us to ponder how formal we want to be with our writes.

Stanzaic: Five quatrains plus a Quintet
Meter: Iambic Pentameter
Rhyme pattern: A1,B1,A2,B2 – b,a,b,A1 – a,b,a,B1 – b,a,b,A2 – a,b,a,B2 – b,a,b,a,(A1)

My Example
(Rondeau Redoublé)

Now is Good, Eternity is a Concept

Religions I can’t sell. They’re man created,
they’re based on fear; they’re doing very well.
One can be saved by doing what’s mandated.
I don’t need heaven; you can keep your hell.

I need no virgin births to make things swell.
I need no virgins, promised and post-dated.
I chuckle at the tales tall fables tell.
Religions I can’t sell. They’re man created.

All bigotry lets hate get concentrated,
as they recruit each other’s clientele.
Religions preach; with doubters oft berated.
They’re based on fear; they’re doing very well.

The golden rule makes common sense; I shall
embrace that while not notions fabricated.
I need no saving yet on streets some yell
One can be saved by doing what’s mandated.

I’ve others and I’ve been appreciated
The unknown does not bother me, nor quell
my peace. This life’s unfolding, unabated.
I don’t need heaven- you can keep your hell.

If “Let’s pretend” placates you, rings your bell
and banishes unfounded fears created
by preachers touting everlasting hell,
and brings you peace, please believe, be placated.
Religions I can’t sell.

© Lawrencelaot – July 31, 2013

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Rhyme Royal

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The rhyme royal stanza consists of seven lines, usually in iambic pentameter. 
The rhyme scheme is ababbcc. In practice, the stanza can be constructed 
either as a tercet and two couplets (a-b-a, b-b, c-c) or 
a quatrain and a tercet (a-b-a-b, b-c-c). 
This allows for a good deal of variety, especially when the form is used for 
longer narrative poems and along with the couplet, 
it was the standard narrative metre in the late Middle Ages.
Example Poem
Tenpus Ambigua        (Rhyme Royal)
The concept time is quite beyond my ken.
String theory baffles brilliant folks and me.
I’ll not wax philosophical again.
Perhaps I did already, shame on me.
We’d be confused in synchronicity.
For flies who live for but a single day,
young boys and men would seem two breeds at play.
¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•? .?.•*»? ??•*¨*•.¸¸¨*•.¸¸¸¸.•*¨*•
We can tell larva and the grown-up fly
are one, we see them grow. They must mistake
we humans as a species that won’t die.
Our sense of time is different awake
or when asleep, and tasks a diff’rence makes.
Don’t tell a guy that seconds are the same
while shov’ling shit or kissing up a dame.
© Lawrencealot – July 12, 2013
 
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Butterfly Quintet

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This is a Butterfly Quintet created by Amanda Jean Norton
Stanza 1 is Iambic Pentameter rhyming abcbd
Stanza 2 is Iambic Tetrameter rhyming effe
Stanza 3 has 2 lines of Iambic Trimeter, Enveloped by 2 lines of Iambic Pentameter
The rhyming words are the same words in each set EGGE
Stanza 4 is Iambic Tetrameter rhyming hiih
Stanza 5 is Iambic Pentameter rhyming abcbd
 
Example Poem
 
Write a Butterfly Quintet
To write a Butterfly Quintet my pet
you place complex content in stanza one.
There’s room internally to romp with rhyme
or sprinkle sparks of alliteration.
The same thing goes, by jive in stanza five.
In middle stanzas do your play.
These step more quickly, I believe;
less time to ponder, think or grieve.
First line next stanza have you say!
Expound your thesis here– it’s quite okay.
Exclaim your point right now.
Make emphasis some how.
The repeated words for that deed are okay.
Now butterfly, just flutter by.
Just play and give the air some shoves–
enjoyed wherever there are loves.
You light their hearts up butterfly.
Here the conclusion you’d most likely set,
with evidence supporting, now begun.
If playful theme there’s still a  lot of time
To zig and zag, and twist the plot for fun.
Your muse can use this form to come alive.
© Lawrencealot  – July 2, 2012
 
 
 
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Decuain

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The Decuain (pronounced duck•won), created by Shelley A. Cephas, aka Shelly A on AllPoetry, is a short poem made up of 10 lines, which can be written on any subject.

There are 10 syllables per line and the poem is written in iambic pentameter.

There are 3 set choices of rhyme scheme:
ababbcbcaa, ababbcbcbb, or ababbcbccc

Add more stanzas for a double, triple, quatruple, etc. decuain.

My Example
Decuain

Leap to Lancelot

They thought they had me trapped– the silly fools.
But I’m an acrobat and dive with skill.
I do double twists into tiny pools.
I’ll foil their evil plans to rape and kill.
After a safe dive, which will be a thrill,
I’ ll be saved by Sir Lancelot by skiff.
He’s promised so I know he surely will.
His little boat was hidden by the cliff.
No maiden fair (and that does describe me,)
will Lancelot allow be lost at sea.


© 2012 Lawrence Eberhart

Stress Matrix Dectet

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This is a form Invented by British Poet Luke Prater,
it comprises ten lines, ten syllables per line, following the rhyme-scheme/structure
 aBa BcBc DcD
where lowercase are iambic pentameter and uppercase are trochaic pentameter – they alternate the whole way, yielding a perfect ‘checkerboard’ of stressed and unstressed syllables, ten lines down x ten syllables across (=100 syllables completely evenly distributed; the rhyme scheme is also  even/symmetrical mathematically).
Ampersandcastles
The Ages, Dark, concede, recede like tides,
leaving shores to Renaissance sand-castles
built big, with shells and mortar; fairground rides
chitter-chatting dusky-distance rascals.
From beach to fair, knots in my hair, and sand,
shaken out, like doubt of change, the mask-all.
Hey, dance – try throwing shapes! An ampersand?
Just like you, to groove to punctuation.
No ampersand; sniff out a woman’s hand,
claiming back some laddish inclination.
Copyright © Luke Prater (2011)
If the syllabic feet (iambs and trochees) are singled out, and only the stressed syllables are highlighted (and stanza-breaks removed), you can more clearly see the ‘checkerboard’ of stresses and unstresses evenly distributed over the 10×10 (100) –
the A | ges DARK | con CEDE | re CEDE | like TIDES
LEA ving | SHORES to | REN ai | SSANCE sand | CA stles
built BIG | with SHELLS | and MOR | tar; FAIR | ground RIDES
CHI tter | CHA tting | DUS ky | DIS tance | RAS cals
from BEACH | to FAIR | knots IN | my HAIR | and SAND
SHA ken | OUT like | DOUBT of | CHANGE the | MASK-all
hey DANCE | try THROW | ing SHAPES | an AMP | er SAND
JUST like | YOU to | GROOVE to | PUNC tu | A tion
no AM | per SAND | sniff OUT | a WO | man’s HAND
CLAI ming | BACK some | LA ddish | IN cli | NA tion.
Example Poem
Here I have expanded the concept to write a
 Stress Maxtrix Dectet with the diminishing  Hexeverse form concept.
The Experiment
‘Twas the tempest thrumming through our culture
restraint forgotten, crowding at the till.
Leaders sought to feed- not kill the vulture.
 Ask not how will I serve, but how my will
best be served if pork be granted voters?
Give them from their own cart; they are the thill
made to pull.  We’re simply gift promoters.
 If business pledged what cannot be sustained
government will bail out General Motors
because the Union votes have been ordained.
Envy, greed, and yes, annoyance
have marked our liberty’s demise.
Harking this took no clairvoyance.
Largess bestowed is no surprise.
 Bondage first then faith -spiritual,
courage, then liberty; which grows
abundance, before residual
complacent apathy then shows.
Soon we are dependent
and after that we’re slaves.
History’s resplendent
with samples of such waves.
This is how we’ll end it.
kowtowing to the raves.
Here we’re standing
with troubled brow,
sad soft-landing
but we saw how.
(c) Lawrencealot – December 25, 2012

Dorsimbra

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Created by Eve Braden, Frieda Dorris and Robert Simonton, the Dorsimbra
is a poem of 12 lines, consisting of
(1) a quatrain of iambic pentameter rhyming abab
(2) a quatrain of “short and snappy” free verse, and
(3) a quatrain of blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter).
The final (12th) line is the same as the first line ( a refrain).
The form’s creators suggest the use of enjambment, interlaced rhymes, 
and near-rhymes to bind the three stanzas/
Example Poem
Safe Fax
Today’s environment demands safe fax.
If you fax to yourself you won’t go blind.
A cover used will not let you relax.
If you fax too fast, most consorts won’t mind.
Not age restricted
Married or single  fine
contact quick
frequently gratifies.
If you have no outlet for your fax needs
you can then pay for service, legally.
If you know them then everything’s okay.
Today’s environment demands safe fax.
© Lawrencealot – April 23, 2012
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Italian Sestet

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Italian Sestet
The original version of the Italian Sestet had no set meter, 
but after it was introduced into England by Spenser, 
eventually the poets there began to use iambic tetrameter 
or pentameter. The rhyme pattern example is as follows (Using iambic tetrameter)
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x b
x x x x x x x c
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x b
x x x x x x x c
 
Example Poem
 
Let’s Write an Italian Sestet
 
An Italian Sestet we’re to write. 
da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM. 
Use Tetrameter- (four fine feet). 
Delay the rhyme that makes it right. 
There’re only two more rhymes to come 
then we are done.  Now ain’t that sweet? 
 
© Lawrencealot – July 25, 2012
 
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