Swap Quatrain

The Swap Quatrain was created by Lorraine M. Kanter. Each stanza in the poem must be a quatrain (four lines) where the first line is reversed in the fourth line. In addition, line 2 must rhyme with line 1, and line 3 must rhyme with line 4 and so on, BUT not repeat the same rhyming pattern on subsequent stanzas. Rhyming pattern: aabb, ccdd  and so on.

Example

(Swap Quatrain)

Heartfelt  

His clothes did stink, his coat was old
He came inside to leave the cold.
He needed food he needed drink.
His coat was old his clothes did stink.

Said youngest boy, “Give me a loan.”
He had one dollar of his own.
I thought he wanted fries or toy.
“Give me a loan,” said youngest boy,

To his one buck he added mine
boy calculating, said, “That’s fine
for that old guy down on his luck.”
He added mine to his one buck.

I was so proud to see him give.
His heart showed us all how to live.
He did not ask, “Was that allowed?”
to see him give, I was so proud.

© Lawrencealot – December 30, 2012

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