Pathways for the Poet by Viola Berg (1977) is a book for and by educators. Classic poetic forms as well as many invented forms which appear to have been invented as teaching tools or exercizes for use in workshops or classrooms are included. Some of these invented forms I have found in use in internet poetry communities, a testament to their staying power. On this page I include the metric invented forms found there in which appear to be exclusive to the community of educators from whom Ms. Berg drew her support. I have yet to find these in any other source. I have included the syllabic invented forms on a separate page. Whether classroom exercise or sharpening your skill as a writer, some of these forms can be fun to play with.
• The Decannelle was made popular in 1949 when it was published in a poetry magazine. It was created by Joseph Nutter. The odd numbered lines have unrhymed feminine endings, while the even number lines have rhymed masculine endings.
The Decannelle is:
○ a decastich, a poem in 10 lines.
○ metered, trochaic tetrameter, alternating 8-7-8-7-8-7-8-7-8-7 syllables causing the odd numbered lines to end with feminine end words.
○ rhymed, xaxaxaxbxb with the x being unrhymed.
Deaf Tones by Judi Van Gorder
Beethoven, romantic genius,
Maestro plays from deep inside.
Music deigned to reign forever
fingers flick and stroke then glide
over and under the tenor octave
tones that flow as if the tide.
Swelling sonics soar and pulses
race along unsanctified.
Never halting ever daunting
hearing gone, continued stride.
Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1199#dionol
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.
My example
Toenails (Decanelle)
Castanet-like clicking rhythm
Sounds its way across my floor.
as my Boston Terrier doggy
plays her acapella score.
Pleasant tapping sounds announcing
soon a stranger at my door.
Barking’s been subdued by others
for her vocal cords were cut;
None-the-less she makes her presence
known, and lets me know what’s what.
© Lawrencealot – September 5, 2014
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