Tempo Composto means "time's up" in Latin.
A form invented by L. Allen Bacon, aka Allen a Dale
The first three stanzas of a “tempo composto” are made up of
1) A Spondee (DA-DA)
2) two lines of Dactyl (DA-da-da)
3) 12 syllables free verse.
The fourth stanza differs in that the final line is only
4 syllables of free verse.
The rhyme pattern is
a-a-x-x
b-b-x-x
c-c-x-x
d-d-x-x
Looks good centered, but that is not a requirement.
Example Poem
Ride in the Country
Roadside
countryside
Lemonade
For sale sign draws me in to find they have just corn.
Quite hot!
Day is shot.
I have got
no lemonade. Drive on looking for the next stand.
Need gas,
Still I pass
twenty-one
stations looking for fruit stand, then run out of gas.
Walk back!
Station sez,
Out of gas,
Got lemonade.
(c) Lawrencealot - May 30, 2012
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