Symetrelle

The Symetrelle is a form created by Julie Moeller Writing on Allpoetry com as Bluejewel. She describes it thus:

  • It begins and ends with a single subject line that is 7 syllables.
  • It has ‘a hat and boots’, mono-rhymed couplets that lead you into and out of the subject with a 9 syllable count.
  • At the heart of it is a mono-rhymed 4 line quatrain with an 11 syllable count.

Bluejewel’s Example

Form: Symetrelle

Serenity

I don’t have to be perfect

From tragedy, it became my goal
Trying to untangle guilt from soul

It is exhausting to keep toeing that line
Always giving more, at everything outshine
Perhaps time expectations to realign
Embracing forgiveness of self is divine

The sun rests too, as part of its role
Soothing peace after a day of toll

I don’t have to be perfect.

© Julie Moeller

My Example

Form: Symetrelle

Invitation to Meditate

The many shades of tranquil

Invite a moment’s meditation,
a time for stress to take vacation

Set aside just briefly all that so compels,
the tasks upon which your mind so often dwells,
absorb solace from the sight, the sounds, the smells;
thrive in noting all the tension this dispels.

When cleared of complex cogitation
your mind provides imagination:

the many shades of tranquil.

© Lawrencealot – November 24, 2015

Visual template:

Rhyming Wave

The Rhyming Wave is a poetry form created by Katharine L. Sparrow, American writer and poet who writes on Allpoetry.com.

The Rhyming Wave is:

  • Stanzaic: Consisting of 2 or more quatrains plus an ending couplet.
  • Metric: Lines 1 through 3 are iambic tetrameter and
  • line 4 is iambic trimeter.
  • Refrained: Syllables 6 & 7 of line one are repeated as syllables 2 thru 7 and syllable 8 is the same in both lines and syllables 1 & 2 are of line 3 are repeated in line 4
  • Refrain: The ending couplet is the first and the last line of the previous stanzas.
  • NOTE: The author is amenable to having poets substitute rhyming as well as identical syllables. I have done so in my example poem.
  • Rhymed: Rhyme scheme Aaab BBbc CCd AD, where the capital letters represent refrain words or refrain lines.

Here is the author’s own explanation. At the end I have included a visual template that may help some.

The Rhyming Wave is a form of my own invention. The instructions seem complicated, but once you start writing it, you will get it pretty quickly. A Rhyming Wave is so named because words repeat themselves, similar to waves lapping over and over again on the shore. A Rhyming Wave has at least 2 verses and an ending couplet. Each verse is four lines with the first three written in iambic tetrameter (4 “feet” of 2 syllables each) and the fourth line three feet, or six syllables. The ending couplet will be the first and last lines of the poem repeated. To write a Rhyming Wave you must know how to write in iambic meter. This is the da-DUM, da-DUM rhythm. If you don’t know how to do this, your Rhyming Wave may not come out sounding as it should. As with all iambic metered poems, it does not have to be PERFECT, but it should sound melodious to the ear.

  • – First line: 4 iambic feet (8 syllables)
    • She dwells among the foamy swells,
  • – Second line : syllables 6 and 7 of line one are repeated as syllables 2 through 7 (three times) and syllable 8 is also repeated as syllable 8.
    • the foamy, foamy, foamy swells–
  • – Third line: 4 iambic feet (8 syllables) last syllable rhymes with last syllable of lines one and two
    • Beneath the cresting waves she dwells,
  • – Fourth line: first 2 to 3 syllables (whichever fits) of line three are repeated/ six syllables only
    • beneath the ocean’s roll.
  • Verses 2 through 4, same pattern – first line of each verse rhymes with last line of previous verse:
    • Her song floats from a sandy shoal
    • a sandy, sandy, sandy shoal–
    • her voice that creeps into the soul,
    • her voice, a crooning trill.
    • And over all a misty chill
    • a misty, misty, misty chill–
    • she’ll sing again, it’s sure she will,
    • she’ll sing her haunting tune.
    • Her humming soothes the silver moon,
    • the silver, silver, silver moon,
    • where stars will span the ocean soon–
    • where stars will hear her song.
  • Ending couplet, first and last lines of the poem:
    • She dwells among the foamy swells,
    • where stars will hear her song.
  • The poem must have at least 2 verses, but there is no limit to the number of verses

Sparrow’s Examples

Form: Rhyming Wave

Mermaid’s Song

She dwells among the foamy swells,
the foamy, foamy, foamy swells–
beneath the cresting waves she dwells,
beneath the ocean’s roll.

Her song floats from a sandy shoal
a sandy, sandy, sandy shoal–
her voice that creeps into the soul,
her voice, a crooning trill.

And over all a misty chill
a misty, misty, misty chill–
she’ll sing again, it’s sure she will,
she’ll sing her haunting tune.

Her humming soothes the silver moon,
the silver, silver, silver moon,
where stars will span the ocean soon–
where stars will hear her song.

She dwells among the foamy swells
where stars will hear her song.

Rose Covered

A cottage in the shady wood,
the shady, shady, shady wood–
amid soft, leafy arms it stood
amid the woodland trees.

Perfume hung on the hazy breeze
the hazy, hazy, hazy breeze
where roses opened for the bees
where roses blossomed red.

The roses climbed and gently spread,
and gently, gently, gently spread–
they made the walls a flower bed,
they made the cottage sweet.

A respite in the steamy heat,
the steamy, steamy, steamy heat–
a cool and comfortable retreat
a cool and quiet place.

A cottage in the shady wood,
a cool and quiet place.

© Katharine L. Sparrow

My Example

Form: Rhyming Wave

Pleasant Quest

He waited for the perfect mate
the perfect, perfect, perfect mate
the one he would appreciate
the one he knew he’d find.

She’d have to have a caring mind
a daring, rare and caring mind
to make him leave his quest behind
to make him say, “It’s you!’

Enroute he took a playful view–
a playful, playful, playful view
before he chose to say, “I do”–
before he chose his bride.

He had a very pleasing ride–
a pleasing, teasing, pleasing ride
He mostly left girls satisfied.
He most enjoyed the search.

He waited for the perfect mate
He most enjoyed the search.

© Lawrencealot – August 27, 2015

Visual Template:

Andaree

Created by Andrea Dietrich writing on PoetrySoup in Feb, 2015

  • It is syllabic, with lines of 11/9/7/5/3/1/3/5/7/9/11
  • Rhyme Scheme: AabbcbcbbaA
  • It requires a Refrain: Line 1 is repeated as Line 11.
  • Generally displayed centered.

My Example

My Example

Form: Andaree

Your Vanity

Though not directed at you, the shoe may fit.
It was, a general bit of wit.
It mocked all the selfie crowd
all around the cloud.
They seem so
proud
and I know
that the well-endowed
feel they ought to shed their shroud
and flaunt themselves just a little bit.
Though not directed at you, the shoe may fit.

© Lawrence Eberhart – June 14, 2015

Visual Template

Trianglet

The following description is reposted with permission from Poetry Magnum Opus, with thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on that fine resource.

The Trianglet is an invented shape poem found in Berg’s Pathways for the Poet. It forms the shape of a triangle and was created by Mina M Sutherland.  The elements of the trianglet are:

  1. a decastich, a poem in 10 lines.
  2. syllabic, 1-2-3-4-5-5-4-3-2-1 syllables per line.
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme AbcxddxcbA
  4. composed with the 1st word repeated as the last word.

My Example

Form: Trianglet

Yummy

Worms
don’t look
delicious
(at least to me),
but they’re protein-filled
and the fish seem thrilled
when presented
nutritious
fish-hook
worms.

© Lawrencealot – February 4, 2015

Park’s Triad

The following description and example are reposted with permission from Poetry Magnum Opus, with thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on that fine resource.

Triad meaning three for which I have found 2 different forms of verse called a Triad.

  • The Triad is a genre from ancient Irish Verse rather than a verse form although the early examples are in 3 mono-rhymed triplets. Like the Treochair it is a departure from the quatrains of Dan Direach. More modern versions allow the structure to be at the poet’s discretion. Most importantly, the poem should include 3 related subjects and their character.

    The elements of the early Triad are:
    1. a poem that lists 3 related things and considers their effects.
    2.  many very early Triads were written in 3 mono-rhymed triplets. Meter is at the discretion of the poet.
    3. modern interpretations of this form vary from free verse, a loose poetic form written in 3 couplets rhymed or unrhymed, or in nonce frames created specifically for the poem.
    4. most importantly written including 3 related subjects, their character and relationship.

Here is a Triad written in the 3 mono-rhymed triplets 

Uniquely Irish, The Shamrock by Judi Van Gorder

I don’t want to sound terse
nothing could be worse
I try to write a clever verse.

Of shamrock’s I will carp,
may sound a bit too sharp
not like sweet music on the harp.

In distant Ireland of all places
they cover most of the bases
even the art of shaving faces.

Seamrog, (Gaelic) shamrock, with its 3 leaves is said to represent not only the Holy Trinity, but also (the fruits of the spirit, faith, hope and charity), (love, valor and wit), (past, present and future) and uniquely Irish, (clever verse, music on the harp, and the art of shaving faces).

A variation of the Triad was published in Pathways for the Poet by Viola Berg 1977 and is attributed to Rena Ferguson Parks. It is a metered, rhymed invented form with a refrain.

The invented variation of the Triad is:

  1. a poem in 22 lines made up of an octave, sixain and an octave in that order.
  2. metric, all lines are iambic tetrameter accept the last line of each stanza which is a refrain in iambic dimeter.
  3. rhymed, turned on only 2 rhymes, rhyme scheme xxxaxabA xxxabA xxxaxabA – b rhyme linking the stanzas and A being the refrain.

My Example

I have chosen for expediency to differentiate, by tagging the second version with the name “Park’s Triad”.

They’re Out of Names

Last week I found another life;
it’s on the Internet, you know.
If you are not already there
you must be tied up playing games,
or busy earning daily bread,
or optimistic, chasing dames.
you ought to join this word- before
they’re out of names.

I could not use a name I knew;
I tried a few and many more,
then many others after those.
“That name is taken”- screen proclaims.
I can’t be Larry anymore,
they’re out of names.

I teleport, and I can fly,
and be a woman, or a man
or be a robot or a beast,
but I cannot be John or James.
I can now choose to wander free
or be one with more lofty aims.
So join up now, and don’t be sore;
they’re out of names.

© Lawrencealot – February 4, 2015

Visual Template

Short Rondel

The Short Rondel might better be described as a short Rondeau than Rondel because this form uses the rentrement or first phrase of L1 as a refrain rather than the full line as in the Rondel.

The Short Rondel is:
○ a poem in 11 lines made up of sixain followd by a quintain.
○ isosyllabic, often 8 syllalbe lines, except for L6 & L11 which are the shorter first phrase of L1.
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbcC ddeeC.

r r r C x x x a
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x b
x x x x x x x b
r r r C
x x x x x x x d
x x x x x x x d
x x x x x x x e
x x x x x x x e
r r r C

Pasted from Poetry Magnum Opus, with thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My Example

Form: Short Rondel

I Walk My Dog


I walk my dog to let him pee
on damn near every pole we see.
We do not walk to get somewhere,
before we started we were there.
In bright sunshine and in the fog
I walk my dog.

He’s introduced me to new folk
with whom we now will stop and joke.
The children love my little guy
and that is really part of why
I walk my dog.

© Lawrencealot – January 24, 2015

Visual Template

Serena

• Serena has 2 definitions:
○ Serena(Occitan-serene song) is a song of the troubadours that appeared late in Provencal lyrical poetry and is the counterpart of the Alba. It builds around the theme of waiting for nightfall. Specifically a lover waiting to consummate his love, such circumstance would not communicate “serene” to me. The frame is at the discretion of the poet.
○ The Serena is also a modern day invented form created by Edith Thompson and found in Pathway for the Poet by Viola Berg. It uses head and tail rhyme.

The invented Serena from Pathways … is:
§ a poem in 11 lines.
§ syllabic, L1,L9,L11 are 4 syllables each. L2 & L10 are 3 syllables each and L3 thru L8 are 7 sylables each.
§ head and tail rhymed, the head rhyme is AAbbccddAAx and the tail rhyme is ABcxccddABb, x being unrhymed.
§ composed with a refrain, L1 & L2 are repeated as L9 & L10.

Pasted from Poetry Magnum Opus, with thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

My effort here will deal with the specific invented form.

My Example

Form: Serena

What’s the Doubt About

Rhyme is sublime
I’m assured,
heard as accent to a beat.
Word is that excess is not
neat; it ought be a discrete
treat or aim may meet defeat.
Bawdy rhyme one might applaud,
flawed or not so help me God.
Rhyme is sublime
I’m assured.
The truth’s obscured.

© Lawrencealot – January 22, 2015

Visual Template

Cueca Chilena


There seems to be not much around about this form, which I discovered many moons ago and made a quick note of.  I will transcribe from my notes as I’ve found not one jot about it online.  Cueca is also the national dance of Chile, although sometimes it is accompanied by song.  My knowledge of Spanish doesn’t stretch to commenting on whether the National folk songs follow this form.  The only poets I know from Chile are Neruda – who if he wrote a Cueca I don’t know it –  and Nicanor Parra whose work is all about colloquial and informal arrangements so I can guarantee it isn’t a style for him.  Still the ‘yes’ in the fifth line kind of makes it feel colloquial to me.  When I’ve used this form I’ve written it quite relaxed.  I enjoy the short lines, the unconventional rhythm.

So, the poem my notes allude to is created thus: 8 lines long, with multiple stanzas (verses).  the fifth line is a repeat of the fourth line with the addition of the word ‘yes’ at the beginning.   It’s influenced by the Spanish Seguidilla poem which will come at some stage in the project.  The rhyme goes A-B-C-B-B-D-E-D where each letter represents a certain rhyming sound at the end of a line, and the repeated letter shows where the next rhyme comes.

Remember you can continue for as many stanzas as you please.

Example

I spent New Year’s Eve with singing boys
Three nights before we parted
Shouting rebel songs to Belfast’s streets
And you were so light hearted
yes, and you were so light hearted –
Whilst I felt terribly abandoned
In someone’s kitchen making tea
As the New-Years sky slowly brightened.

Pasted from https://poetryform.wordpress.com/ with thanks.

Specifications restated (as deduced.)
The Cueca Chilena is:
Origin: Chile, known primarily as a dance.
Stanzaic, consisting of any number of 8 line stanzas.
Syllabic: 9/7/9/7/8/9/9/9
Rhymed: Rhyme pattern: abcBBded
Refrained: The 4th line, which should be end stopped is repeated in line 5.
Formulaic: The word, “yes” is inserted as the first word in line 5.

My Example
(Form: Cueca Chilena)
The Girl in the Cape

The Girl in the Cape

As symbol of love – how bright our moon,
yet that’s from reflected light.
More like the sun, you are radiant —
from within springs your delight.
Yes, from within springs your delight.
No cosmetics need you ever wear.
Your natural light would amplify
the beauty of flowers in your hair.

© Lawrencealot – January 21, 2015

Visual Template
Cueca Chilena

Rhymethor

Rhymethor: Title: 6 syllables.
3 rhyming quatrain stanza of 6 syllables
Rhyme scheme: a-a–bb, c-c-d-d, b-b-a-a (an inverted stanza of 1st stanza)
Concluding line of 12 syllables representing total number of lines.
Display centered

Our Runaway Cosmos

Dark energy, dark matter
bright stars–just a smatter
Universe expanding
beyond understanding

Other multiverses
dimensions reverses
concepts we once held true
now a new point of view.

Beyond understanding
universe expanding
bright stars– just a smatter
dark energy, dark matter

So little light. So much dark. All sparkles and darkles.

http://www.rainbowcommunications.org/velvet/forms/
My Thanks to Linda Varsell Smith for her contributions above.

My example

Don’t Mock Any of Those Gods (Form: Rhymethor)

In case my words aren’t clear
there’s repetition here.
There’ve been gods by the bunch
by vision, plan and hunch.

I need no fables wrought
from whole cloth and then taught
to children who believe 
most all that they receive.

By vision, plan and hunch
there’ve been gods by the bunch
there’s repetition here
in case my words aren’t clear.

It works. A god’s an extra step. I’ll still be good.

© Lawrencealot – January 13, 2015

Restated specifications
A Ryhmethor is:
A 13 line titled poem
Stanazaic: Consisting of three quatrains plus a single line.
Syllabic: 6/6/6/6/ 6/6/6/6 6/6/6/6 12
Rhymed: AABB ccdd BBAA x,
Refrained: Where the final quatrain is the inverse of the first quatrain.
Displayed centered on page

Visual template

Rhymethor

Anapeat

This is a form invented by Susan Budig for a challenge to the readers of  The Poetic Asides Blog to create a new form. 
The Anapeat is based on anaphora, defined by Dictionary.com as ” Rhetoric . repetition of a word or words at the beginning of two or more successive verses, clauses, or sentences. “
The Anapeat repeats a phrase in several places within the poem. 
 
The poem consists of five stanzas of five lines each. 
 The repeated phrase/line is the first line of the first stanza, the second line of the second stanzas, etc.  

All or part of the phrase is also the title of the poem.

There is no line length, meter, or rhyme requirements, however rhyme and meter may be used if the poet chooses to do so.

http://allpoetry.com/contest/2555769-Try-an-Anapeat-for-Fun

I am awaiting a response from Susan Budig for any clarification or additions.

My example

Earn Your Way (Form: Anapeat)

You have the right to earn your way
and not be fed from public plate.
You have no right to come and stay
with others carrying your weight.
None can sustain a free buffet.

I want to make this one thing straight,
You have the right to earn your way.
Comply, and try, assimilate;
don’t march, demand, then stand and bray
in Phoenix, DC, or South Gate.

We’ll help the helpless everyday,
that’s why I think this country’s great.
You have the right to earn your way,
for that we have an open gate.
We’re simply not your country’s prey.

Riff-raff we don’t appreciate,
who come and take and still berate,
then take much more with their birth-rate.
You have the right to earn your way.
Dependence leads toward a slave state.

Because he see a vote “souffle”
our President will not abate
the flow that’s growing everyday.
Make certain you’ve become aufait.
You have the right to earn your way.

© Lawrencealot – December 22, 2014

Note: Although I have not specified the rhyme scheme for this poem,
The final stanza might be: ababa using sight rhyme for the final couplet, or abaaa using true rhyme.

Visual Template

Anapeat

(Note: this template is for iambic tetrameter, but no specific meter is required. Some of the rhyme schemes show where for poems written in iambi pentameter or other accentual frames.)

The only REQUIRED rhyming lines are the refrains.

These different rhyme schemes, (and others) came from entrants to one contest two years ago.