Double Ballad Stanza is a verse form which basically doubles the ballad stanza. However, unlike the ballad it need not tell a story. It can simply be an observation.
The Double Ballad Stanza is:
• An octastich made up of 2 quatrains.
• metric, accentual, (The ballad utilizes an accentual line and the stress is what counts not the meter, alternating 4 stress, 3 stress.)
• rhymed,rhyme scheme of xa(b-b)axcxc (x being unrhymed) with an internal rhyme in the 3rd and expletive line.
Tell All the Truth but Tell it Slant by Emily Dickinson 1872
Tell all the Truth but tell it slant—
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth’s superb surprise
As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind-
Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1887
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.
My example
A Park-Like Street (Double Ballad Stanza)
When closed to buses, truck and cars
sometimes our city streets
are quite festive and bathed in light
for folk out buying treats.
Each footfall is a dampened tread
that falls on powdered snow.
The quiet bades a friendliness
that sets mens’ hearts aglow.
© Lawrencealot – December 3, 2014
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