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. …. Whether classroom exercise or sharpening your skill as a writer, some of these forms can be fun to play with.
• The Virelet is an invented variation of the French Virelai and was introduced by Viola Berg.
The Virelet is:
○ stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains.
○ isometric with a stanzaic frame of long/short/long/short lines set by the first stanza. The actual metric length and pattern of the alternate lines is at the discretion of the poet.
○ rhymed, interlocking rhyme abab bcbc cdcd etc.
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
I Would Have, Sure (Virelet)
(inspired by Amera’s “How to Get Pregnant”
She’ll be a mom
and she knows who’s the dad.
It wasn’t Tom,
or Dick or someone bad.
Though many lad
would likely like to claim
that they had had
relations with that dame.
None could you blame
for lusting after her
but all the same,
she waited to be sure.
© Lawencealot -September 29, 2014
Visual Template
Note: This is illustrative only, the lines can be of any two consistent lengths.
