Naturally I fell
prey to Bob's wit as I started to document the
Quartina, and
mis-wrote it as the more natural and mundane Quatrina.
Well, that has been
rectified.
Quartina
Type:
|
Structure, End Word Requirement
|
Description:
|
The four-line stanza version of the sestina with the
typical end-word enfolding.
|
Attributed to:
|
Bob Newman
|
Origin:
|
England
|
Schematic:
|
1234
4123 3412 2341
Envoy:
12 / 34 |
Rhythm/Stanza Length:
|
4
|
Line/Poem Length:
|
18
|
Thanks to Charles L.
Weatherford.
_____________________
Quartina
Another variation for which I accept full responsibility
is the quartina. This uses the same idea as the sestina but only
has 4 keywords, hence is only 18 lines long. Here's one:
Eclipse
This is the day when we shall see
the moon
Dispute the morning sky; usurp the sun;
Beshroud the world in unaccustomed dark.
We know this - and we know it won’t last long.
Dispute the morning sky; usurp the sun;
Beshroud the world in unaccustomed dark.
We know this - and we know it won’t last long.
This is the day; the wait will not
be long
Until we’re on the dark side of the moon.
Unseen by us, our life-giver, the sun,
Will impotently rage against the dark.
Until we’re on the dark side of the moon.
Unseen by us, our life-giver, the sun,
Will impotently rage against the dark.
The birds, lulled into silence by
the dark,
Will tuck heads under wings - but not for long.
Two minutes only, this night of the moon,
Before the sky is reclaimed by the sun.
Will tuck heads under wings - but not for long.
Two minutes only, this night of the moon,
Before the sky is reclaimed by the sun.
Though there is nothing new under
the sun,
All seems new at the dying of the dark.
A second full dawn chorus, loud and long
Will celebrate the passing of the moon.
All seems new at the dying of the dark.
A second full dawn chorus, loud and long
Will celebrate the passing of the moon.
Don’t worry when the moon obscures
the sun.
Although the day be dark, it won’t be long.
Although the day be dark, it won’t be long.
I
chose the name "quartina" so that I could write flawed ones.
©
Bob Newman 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved
My thanks to Bob Newman for his wonderful resource site.
My Example Poem
Do You Suppose? (Quartina)
A girl well knows
what means a rose
when she can get one
from a man.
Of course she might
prefer a Porsche;
the goal then might
be mistress role.
If rolling in the
hay's your role
I don't suppose you
need a rose.
If much elan defines
your man
Of course one might
expect a Porsche
It's never coarse to
own a Porsche
or take control of
your own role,
but heaven knows a
red, red rose
might show the
game-plan of a man.
I really can picture
a man
who owns a horse,
but not a Porsche
with plenty soul for
either role
who might propose
with just one rose.
So take the rose and
love the man
forget the Porsche
and part-time role.
© Lawrencealot -
January 8, 2013
Related forms: Bina, Tritina, Quartina, Quintina, Sestina, Newman Sestina, Sidney's Double Sestina, Decrina, and Canzone.
Visual Template
This is a Quartina ( in iambic tetrameter with added internal rhyme)
This is a Quartina ( in iambic tetrameter with added internal rhyme)
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