Poetry Forms : Ballade Stanza

Friday, January 17, 2014

A Ballade Stanza or Monk's Tale Stanza (So named because it was used in the Monk's Tale in The Canterbury Tales (1386–1400) by Geoffrey Chaucer )

Is an ten syllable isosyllabic octave, usually written in conjunction with other stanzas (formally five stressed syllables)

Rhyme Scheme: ababbcbc

Example Poem

Reprieve (Ballade Stanza)

My puppy wasn't there when I got home

which was unusual in every way.

He'd always wait to play; he'd never roam.

"Honey- my grandma had sad things to say,

"Hit chasing car… then they took him away."

I'd never cried the way I cried that night.

Surprise! His leg was in a cast next day;

the driver smiled and made my life alright.

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