Paulo Comitatu

This is a poetry form created by Allen R.  Emery,  aka Joe King on Allpoetry.com.
I call this form paulo comitatu, “Little Train”. It is like an engine then three other cars. 
Line 1 of each verse in Iambic Tetrameter
Lines 2-4 are Iambic trimeter.
The trimeter lines share mono-rhyme.
Stanza patters are you choice, the template shows three possibles:
x, a, a, a. 
x, b, b, b. 
or
a, b, b, b
a, c, c, c
d, e, e, e
d, f, f, f
Etc
a, b, b, b,
a b, b, b,    
c, d, d, d, 
c, d, d, d.

Poem Example

Sketch a Man

A man wants many things in life.
He wants security,
he needs identity,
and wants fidelity.

 He wants not just a faithful wife, 
but certainty from all, 
in matters large and small 
when friends and family call.
 One having such, can actualize 
and act not just for him, 
but laugh and joke on whim, 
and smile when hopes are dim.
 Foremost it comes as no surprise 
her touch, her talk, her care 
the ideas that they share 
will take man anywhere.

  © Lawrencealot – December 27, 2012
 
Visual template
Paulo Comitatu

Rionnaird tri-nard (RUN-ard tree-nard)

Rionnaird tri-nard (RUN-ard tree-nard), traditional Irish quatrain
form with 6-syllable lines ending in 2-syllable words,
L2 and L4 riming and L3 in consonance thereto (meaning in this case,
I gather, vowel-agreement rather than consonant-agreement,
having at one time meant the same thing as assonance),
alliteration in every line (ideally between the end-word and the
preceding stressed word), two cross-rimes in the 2nd couplet,
and the 1st stressed word of L2 alliterating with the last syllable of L1.
 Being Irish, it requires the dunedh, to end where it began
(first word, phrase, or line repeated in closing).
Example Poem
Promise
 
Inviting just by sight,
almost tinsel trapping,
stilletoed toes tripping,
in her sheer hose wrapping.
She’s surely sensuous;
Suggests sex is waiting,
waits while will is wilting.
Still fates are Inviting.
 
(c) Lawrencealot – May 17, 2012
 
 
Visual Template
I see here now that I have failed, if indeed every line
is to end in two-syllable words.  Ah well, close.
 
 

Séadna (shay'-na)

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.