Diabolo

Diabolo is a poetry form invented by Dennis William Turner, writing on All Poetry as Dennisturner19.

His specifications and an example:

  • A poem of two, six-line, iambic stanzas.
  • Each stanza:
    • Lines 1,2,4 and 5, iambic tetrameter with rhymes at syllables 6 and 8.
    • Lines 3 and 6, iambic Dimeter with rhymes at syllables 2 and 4.
  • Rhyme scheme:
    • (a,b,)(a,b,)(c,d,)(e,f,)(e,f,)(c,d, )
    • (g,h,)(g,h,)(i,j,)(k,l,)(k,l,)(i,j, )

Turner’s Example

Form: Diabolo

Utopia

Man’s instinct was to stay alive;
He fought so that he may survive
And procreate,
But time for fighting should be done
And lasting friendships could be won.
A noble state.

All people should say “No” before
Their leaders choose to go to war.
The shame should cease.
To kill is such a frightful sin;
We must all do the right thing in
The name of peace.

© Dennis William Turner, August 2017

My Example

Form: Diabolo

Supremacist

I hate him cuz he’s not like me,
and we’re a special lot, you see.
we’re white and loud.
As white privilege (without a need,
our culture’s flaw, no doubt, indeed.)
A rightful crowd!

To bully people, black and brown
we threaten them and back them down;
our tool is fear.
Our president equivocates;
thinks screaming is just give and take –
so cool and clear!

© Lawrence Eberhart, August 2017

Denturn

DENTURN is a poetry form invented by Dennis William Turner, writing on All Poetry as Dennisturner19.

  • Stanzaic: 2 stanzas of iambic tetrameter
  • 2 stanzas of trochaic tetrameter
  • Rhyme pattern: poet’s option.
  • It is comprised of two IAMBIC, tetrameter quatrains stating a point of view.
  • This is followed by a stand-alone one, two or three syllable word or phrase. For example: but – unless – but then – although – until, – however etc., Providing the TURN.
  • The concluding two quatrains, in TROCHAIC metre, make the argument, (emphasised by the change of metre.)
  • SPECIAL NOTE: If two syllables are used at the TURN, then the following line should have ANACRUSIS in order to make the seamless transition between metres.

an·a·cru·sis
(ăn′ə-kro͞o′sĭs)
n.
One or more unstressed syllables at the beginning of a line of verse, before the reckoning of the normal meter begins.From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/anacrusis

Turner’s Examples

Form: Denturn

Go For It

I’m in a quandary, on the spot:
Now, should I exercise or not?
I’d much prefer to just relax
Instead of pounding running tracks.
The gym is not the place for me;
The sofa is the place to be!
I’d rather browse the Internet
Than run a round and smell of sweat,

Although,

It’s true that heart disease is stealthy,
Even when you feel quite healthy.
Maybe running at the double
COULD be worth a little trouble.
My excess will take some shifting,
Maybe I could try weight lifting?
This great book will show me how,
Here’s my chance; I’ll start right now.

© Dennis William Turner

My Attempts

Form: Denturn

Puppies

The puppies chew on furniture,
and eat up books I’ve out on loan,
which now require expenditure
and thus become my very own.
They chew things just to hear them crunch
and chewed up paper lines our hall,
They miss the training pads a bunch
and won’t all come each time I call,

and yet,

I don’t believe I’ll give them up;
Can’t release a single pup
They have taken up my heart –
Dollars aren’t just cause to part!
All of them should outlive me.
(Vets and food and toys aren’t free),
Joy and love and laughter reign –
Puppies make me young again!

© Lawrence Eberhart – 7/18/17

Comments by Mr. Turner:

Although your piece was technically correct, the use of catalectic lines in the Trochaic section gives it the ‘feel’ of acephalous iambic. The real essence of the Trochaic section is the double-syllable end rhyme. It is this that gives the strong contrast with the first section, (along with the stressed syllable to start the line of course.) I know that I have used a catalectic ending for my final rhyme, but that was deliberate in order to finish with a stressed syllable for emphasis as in the punchline of a joke. In fact, I’ve used the same ploy on other Denturns that I have written. I much prefer the strict tempo approach in order to get the full feeling of contrast. My opinion. What do you think?

WHAT I THINK. Dennis is spot on! Here is my revised poem.

Puppies (Revised)

The puppies chew on furniture,
and eat up books I’ve out on loan,
which now require expenditure
and thus become my very own.
They chew things just to hear them crunch
and chewed up paper lines our hall,
They miss the training pads a bunch
and won’t all come each time I call,

and yet,

I don’t believe their ever leavin’
Can’t release one puppy even.
They own me now; I’m enchanted.
Planned to sell but I’ve recanted.
They’ll outlive me, so I reckon
We’ll share love ’til angels beckon.
Joy and love and laughter reign –
Puppies make me young again!

© Lawrence Eberhart – 7/25/17

Visual Template:

Novelinee

The following description is reposted with permission from The Poets Garret, with thanks to Sarah Rayburn.

Novelinee

Created by Sarah Rayburn, the novelinee is a 9 line stanza derived from the Spenserian stanza but written in iambic pentameter or decasyllabic lines. If used as part of a sequence a variation of the closing line should be used as lead line for the next stanza. In the case of a closed novelinee the last stanza would end with a variation of the first line of the first stanza.

Stanza Rhyme Scheme: a. b. a. b. c. d. c..d. d.

 

 

Betrayal of Trust

 

From mists of Avalon she came in white
supernova who split my heart in two
and left untouched silence in endless night
no skyward star to guide my passage through.
While drinking wine I gave my love away
for whispered promises given out of lust,
believing hearts could breathe again today
my dreams now lie amid unwanted dust,
my heart shattered by betrayals of trust.

Sarah Rayburn

 

 


 

Novelinee Sequence

 

Sweet nightingale, unparalleled beauty,
my worldly thoughts will drown in idle words,
if I did not reflect the love I see,
and deny love is nought but food for birds.
I dream my arm is loosely round your waist,
so I shall hear divinity in your song,
and dream upon your eyes with loving haste,
to sip from lips of wine where I belong
and trust the sweetest breath will keep us strong.

With trust the sweetest breath to keep us strong,
my jewel of love to whom I grant my heart,
with words and smiles for days that seem so long,
so fate has cast the miles to keep apart.
In crystal vagaries we’re hand in hand,
whilst waterfalls cascade a rhythmic beat,
as when we kissed upon the golden sand,
below the rugged crags in love’s retreat,
our passion found in nature’s dancing feet.

When passion’s found in nature’s dancing feet,
above the greenest valleys, smile Black hills,
with fragrant flowers dazzling eyes shall meet,
where dragonflies commingle by the rills.
Your heart in truth a loving paradise,
where feelings flow and openly confess,
in daring glances tempting looks of ice,
for you, my love, are more than words express,
I can’t resist your spell of loveliness.

Sarah Rayburn

 

 


 

Motherland ~~~ Closed Novelinee

 

Across the bay where beauty waits for me,
beneath the sun-kissed mountain waterfalls,
enchanting eyes shall tame the wild and free,
my heart is bound by love as Cymru calls.
The cloudy blue of railway smoke dissolved
against the ageing roofing slates of old,
attractions mined before our time evolved,
and children chalked their words in letters bold,
when mountain streams still flowed with yellow gold.

The mountain streams that flowed with yellow gold,
and wrought the wedding bands of royal kings,
still whisper love and tales the bards oft told,
and magic echoes o’er the valleys and springs.
The land where dragons roam and wizards dwell,
where singing voices set our fathers free,
returning home my heart begins to swell,
rejoice my pride in Wales, her mystery,
across the bay her beauty stood by me.

Sarah Rayburn

 

 

My Example

Form: Novelinee

Electric Earth

This century, the twenty-first, will change
forever attitudes that humans share.
Relationships shall surely rearrange
for we’ll have energy at last, to spare.
Our batteries will be charged by the sun
and oilfield ownership won’t mean a hoot.
The politics of greed shall come undone.
We’ll find some other reason for dispute,
but gone will be our reason to pollute.

© Lawrencealot – February 25, 2015

Visual Template

Magic 9

The following description is reposted with permission from The Poets Garret, with thanks to Divena Collins.

Magic 9

Typing too fast is often the cause of spelling mistakes and one day Abracadabra was typed as a b a c a d a b a and right away a poetry form appeared. As can be seen its simply a progression around the first line and with lines 2 and 8 rhyming with each other also. Here is an example.

Bewitched

Shalt not thy deprave the spell of love
enchanted words that melts the heart
that cast thy spells deep within thereof
within a mystical aura of spiritual magic
that only lovers become reminiscent of
powers of the occult shall be of sorcery
percieved from insight of spirits above
inspiration within shall not ever depart
when a bewitched spell is as worthy of

Divena Collins

Magic 9 Specifications restated:

A poetry form created by Divena Collins. It is:

  • A 9 line poem
  • Line-length and metrics at the discretion of the poet
  • Rhyme pattern: abacadaba

My Example

Form: Magic 9

Take This Job and Bag It

I took a job, I was a stoop!
My college costs I had to pay.
I had to catch elephant poop
at the in-town animal show.
I used a sack upon a hoop;
if I missed a load, woe was me
I had to clean it with a scoop.
I’d never want to fall behind,
there weren’t just two, there was a troop.

© Lawrencealot – February 20, 2015

Visual Template

Enclosed Triplet

The following description is reposted with permission from The Poets Garret, with thanks to Divena Collins.

Enclosed Triplet

The Enclosed triplet is a very interesting form and if the a.b.a..b.c.b. format is used it forms the basis for the Sicilian Triplet , Terza Rima, using the enclosed word as continuity, or where lines or words are repeated there is the Villanelle, or later the Terzanelle.

The alternative left with is to have the centre unrelated completely as shown below.

Feelings

How would we know if our feelings are low
So low that teardrops stain porcelain faces
When faces are painted a warm loving glow

Which glows through when a lover embraces
If his embraces are few how may we know
Shall love flow when a tender heart races.

How can it be when true love hurts so much
So much it can break in two loving hearts
When hearts may respond to a sensual touch.

For touch prevents them from falling apart
Playing a part of true lovers games as such
To stop love from hurting is a work of art.

It could be that love came much too late
That it was never to be for you and me
For the love we had then was our fate.

Divena Collins

My Example

Form: Enclosed Triplet

Abhorrent

Some words I think I must abhor
for they are words I seldom use
but now I’ll try to use them more.

Like pardon, when I mean excuse
me madam, will you move your ass?
Or, loose by people who mean lose.

Correcting them, when done with class,
requires that I must bite my tongue;
when poets do it, it’s most crass.

© Lawrencealot – February 18, 2015

Visual Template

Ovi

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

Indian Verse

Ovi is commonly known as 12th century folk-songs of the Maranthi Region of India which expressed love, social irony and heroic events.

Tukaram, a 17th Century Maranthi Poet wrote:

Because I could not lie
I named my dog “God”.
Startled at first,
Soon he was smiling
Then dancing!
Now he won’t even bite.
Do you suppose this might work
On people, too?

The elements of the Ovi are:

  1. stanzaic, written in any number of 4 line stanzas.
  2. syllabic, 8-8-8-(less than 8 ) syllables
  3. rhymed, with L1, L2, L3 mono-rhymed L4 unrhymed. aaax, x being unrhymed

    Roly Poly by Judi Van Gorder

    The big toothed tot with golden hair
    picked up a bug on Sister’s dare,
    it rolled into a ball right there
    and won her springtime heart.

My Example

Form: Ovi

Trucker’s Life

Poppa longed for the open road
not just because the bank was owed;
always contented when he rode,
he had a land to see.

There is no state that he’d not seen!
East-coast to west, and in between,
there’s nothing like that rolling scene
to make one ‘preciate.

The Pennsylvania rolling hills,
the Gary Indiana mills,
the Alcan Highway winter thrills
all were a joy to see.

He loved Montana’s open sky
and Kansas when the corn was high
the Rockies when the roads are dry,
and then he met my mom.

He needs time with his wife and son
so now his gallivanting’s done
but our vacations sure are fun,
he knows just where to go!

© Lawrencealot – February 15, 2015

Visual template

This one for a stanza with a 6 syllable short line.

Folía

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

The Folía is a nonsensical or a ridiculous poem, originating in 16th century Spain, probably influenced by a Portuguese dance song.

The elements of the Folía are:

  1. stanzaic, written in any # of quatrains.
  2. syllabic, 8 syllables lines or shorter.
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abab cdcd etc.
  4. ridiculous or nonsensical.

    Silly Willy by Judi Van Gorder

    In old 16th century Spain
    when poets felt a bit silly
    they’d dance circles round in the rain
    and write rhymed verse willy nilly.

My Example

Form: Folía

Bump and Grind

A kangaroo on roller skates
and polar bear on skis
were clumsy when they went on dates
excuse them if you please.

© Lawrencealot – February 11, 2015

Ocarina – Rhymed

I have no idea who created this form. Thanks to Sara Gosa of Allpoetry.com for bringing it to my attention. I can only tell you that the example was published in the January 25, 1912 edition of New Age, written by A. Tulloch Cull.

Ocarina – Rhymed

  • A sestina discipline using 8 lines per verse and a 4 line enjoy for a 68 line poem
  • MUST be used to write a rhyming poem.
  • Its structure schematic is
    • 12345678
    • 86571243
    • 31426587
    • 75682134
    • 43218765
    • 57864312
    • 24137856
    • 68753421
  • With the envoy:
    • I corrected the occurrence of the words to create complete rhyme which the sample poem did not possess.
    • 31 / 28 / 74 / 65 Giving couplet internal rhyme and alternating end-rhyme
  • Rhyme scheme: Alternating envelope and alternate rhyme.
  • Rhyme pattern:
    • 1st abbacddc
    • 2nd cdcdabab
    • 3rd baabdccd
    • 4th dcdcbaba
    • 5th abbacddc
    • 6th cdcdabab
    • 7th baabdccd
    • 8th dcdcbaba
    • Envoy:
      • (b/a)
      • (b/c)
      • (d/a)
      • (d/c)

To Anna Pavlova (Ocarina)
(In her dance “Le Cygne ” Musique de Saint-Saëns.)

I.

There came to me a vision of sweet song
Borne faintly forward on melodious streams,
A white Chimaera such as stirs the dreams
Of men, who sleep in solitudes and long
To people the dead wastes with strange desire
And breathe between the lips of ancient Death
Stretched mummified in deserts that new breath
That should revive them with its living fire.

II.

White was the vision, white as fiercest fire
And paler far its face than pallid Death,
Begotten of that brood, the Swan’s desire
Raised from frail Leda with its hissing breath.
And as it came its superhuman song
Sang of all those, whom wide relentless streams
Divide from their beloved, towards whom they long,
But whom they ne’er may clasp except in dreams.

III.

They strain to one another in their dreams
But never hear their lovers’ silent song
Pass spectrelike with gliding feet along
The halls of Sleep to Lethe’s stealthy streams
Till conies Old Age, a fouler foe than Death,
To mar the house of their divine desire
And smother with white ashes their young fire
Stifling their bodies’ perfumes with his breath.

IV.

Who of us mortals with ephemeral breath
That saw the vision, did not straight desire
To pass from perfect happiness to death
A holocaust of joy within the fire beneath
That from your cloudlike eyelids streams.
Having for elegy your supreme song
I would have died your death and passed to dreams
On that white breast, for which I longed so long.

V.

Half goddess and half swan, you seemed to long
With yearning eyes for those immortal dreams
Of far Olympus, where Peneus streams
Through Tempe’s hallowed vale. Yet in the song
Of feet and face and form I saw the fire
Of love for men, whose evanescent breath
Lends charm to wayward pleasures, watched by Death,
Who casts a glamour on short-lived desire.

VI.

All mortal sufferings and vain desire
Wept from your eyes and shook your tortured breath.
Yea, goddess though you were, the immortal fire
That shone from your white shape grew dim as Death.
I questioned of your Sorrow-Did you long
For Youth’s brief summer passed in rhythmic dreams
By winding ways of water, where the song
Of many birds mixed with the murmuring streams?

VII.

But though no answer pierced the plash of streams
Your arms that wavered swan-like seemed to long
And beckon for some mystery, which song
Might not reveal lying hid beyond our dreams.
Was it eternal youth, that your last breath
Invoked with prayers so passionate, that fire
Rekindled in those eyes, whose last desire
Was unto life, till clanked the feet of Death?

VIII.

For as you felt the drear approach of Death,
Your limbs relaxed and from your eyes the fire
Fled fainting forth : You drew one sobbing breath
That shook your shuddering wings, and your desire
Quailed before Death : Your hair, where darkness dreams,
Where Moon and Stars hold festival along
With queenly Night, fell forward in dark streams
About your face, and silenced was your song.

ENVOY.

Anna, my dreams find voice within the song
That from the fire of your sweet footsteps streams.
Though dreams and breath and song may pass along
Death’s ways, yet my desire defieth Death.

Toddaid

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.

Toddaidtodd-eyed is the 19th codified Welsh meter, an Awdl, and an uneven couplet often written in combination with other meters especially the 9 syllable couplet, cyhydedd hir.
The elements of the Toddaid are:

  1. stanzac, written in any number of couplets.
  2. syllabic, L1 is a 10 syllable line and L2 is a 9 syllable line.
  3. rhymed, the main rhyme aa – cc – dd etc.
  4. composed with gair cyrch following the main rhyme and caesura of L1. The gair cyrch end rhyme is echoed in the first half of L2 in secondary rhyme, assonance or consonance.
  5. sometimes written in a shortened version of 16 syllables, L1 is 10 syllables and L2 is only 6 syllables which is called a toddaid byr.
toddaid couplets
x x x x x x x A – x b
x x x x b x x x Ax x x x x x x C – x d
x x x d x x x x ca toddaid byr coupletx x x x x x x A – x b
x x x b x A
Nit digeryd Duw, neut digarat – kyrd
Neut lliw gwyrd y vyrd o veird yn rat;
Neut lliaws vrwyn kwyn knawlat— yghystud
O’th attall Ruffudd gwaywrud rodyat.
                                   Einion 15th century
Shere Kahn by Judi Van Gorder

The young calico keeping cool – eases
slow as she pleases upon the stool .
Her Bengal bones live nine lives – daring dogs,
chasing frogs, tiger dreams, kitten thrives.
 

My Example

Form: Toddaid

Embellished

She wore a steampunk hat and bra – and shoes
She couldn’t lose; she was held in awe.
She was cocooned in metal ware – of course.
a visual force men would touch with care.

© Lawrencealot – February 2, 2015

Visual Template

Tina’s Zigzag Rhyme

Tina’s Zigzag Rhyme is a form created by Christina R Jussaume and found at Poetry Styles (site no longer accessible).

  • It starts with a sestet, refrain, quatrain, refrain and quatrain.
  • It must be uplifting subject.
  • Rhyme in first two lines is at left,
  • next rhyme is center in lines 3 and 4,
  • and rhyme in lines 5 and 6 is an end rhyme.
  • Refrain is first two lines of poem.
  • After refrain you use center rhyme, then end rhyme, continue with refrain… etc.
  • It is an 8 syllable per line poem. No limit to stanzas but must have, at least one sestet, refrain, and quatrain.

My Example

Form: Tina’s ZigZag Rhyme

Now is a Present

Behold! It’s clear that I can think.
I’m sold that men are so imbued.
There is no need for fairy tales
or a dogma’s creed to comfort.
I think that if you think you’ll see
that things are just as they should be.

Behold! It’s clear that I can think.
I’m sold that men are so imbued.

All of us should enjoy right now
seeking what is good in others.
Happiness is an attitude
that worry’s likely to exclude.

© Lawrencealot – February 1, 2015

Visual Template