Rondeau

A Rondeau is a French form, 15 lines long, consisting of
three stanzas: a quintet, a quatrain, and a sestet
with a rhyme scheme as follows: aabba aabR aabbaR.
 Lines 9 and 15 are short - a refrain (R) consisting of a phrase taken from line one. The other lines are longer (but all of the same metrical length).

Example Poem


Write a Rondeau;  I'll Show You How.

Just start with statement bold that now
is  your refrain. The word you choose
for "a" and "b" need rhymes you'll use
a lot. Like,  love, and dove, and cow.
     
I chose not well but any how
we'll write now with a wrinkled brow.
Don't choose like you have naught to lose
Write a Rondeau.  
     
We strive to write so we shall plough
ahead and to troubles not bow.
This line now fits with out excuse
Proclaiming rhyme with out abuse.
About done let's now keep our vow.
Write a Rondeau.

(c) Lawrencealot - April 1, 2012

Visual Template

Septolet

The Septolet is a poem consisting of seven lines containing fourteen words

with a break in between the two parts. 

Both parts deal with the same thought and create a picture.

Example:

When Not Napping

Cat

creeping slowly

across the lawn

keenly focused.

Bird

eating berries

he's almost done.

(c) Lawrencealot - April 21, 2012

Sonnette

Invented by Sherman Ripley. It consists of 7 lines in pentameter, predominately iambic, with two stanzas, rhyming abba cbc. It is, essentially, half of a sonnet.


Example Poem

Write a Sonnette

Let's write one-half a sonnet here and now.
We'll use Iambs, and five of them per line.
although if you choose, trochees would be fine.
One-half a sonnet? Here I'll show you how.

One quatrain followed by a sestet works.
A sonnet built with training wheels- divine.
A sonnet sans the benefits and perks.

© Lawrencealot - Oct. 20, 2012


Visual Template

Swap Quatrain

The Swap Quatrain was created by Lorraine M. Kanter.

Within the Swap Quatrain each stanza in the poem
must be a quatrain (four lines) where the
first line is reversed in the fourth line.
In addition, line 2 must rhyme with line 1, and line 3
must rhyme with line 4 and so on,
BUT not repeat the same rhyming pattern on subsequent
stanzas.

Rhyming pattern: aabb, ccdd  and so on.

Example Poem

Heartfelt   (Swap Quatrain)

His clothes did stink, his coat was old
He came inside to leave the cold.
He needed food he needed drink.
His coat was old his clothes did stink.

Said youngest boy, "Give me a loan."
He had one dollar of his own.
I thought he wanted fries or toy.
"Give me a loan," said youngest boy,

To his one buck he added mine
boy calculating, said, "That's fine
for that old guy down on his luck."
He added mine to his one buck.

I was so proud to see him give.
His heart showed us all how to live.
He did not ask, "Was that allowed?"
to see him give, I was so proud.

   © Lawrencealot - December 30, 2012




Visual Template

Wrapped Refrain Style 1

The Wrapped Refrain, created by Jan Turner, consists of 2 or more stanzas of 6 lines each; Meter:8,8,8,8,12,12 and Rhyme Scheme: a,a,b,b,c,c.

Refrain rule: In each stanza the first 4 syllables (or 4 single-syllable words) in the first line must be the last 4 syllables (or 4 single-syllable words) at the end of the last line. This is what wraps each stanza with a repeated refrain ...thus, the Wrapped Refrain.

Optional: The first stanza refrain and last stanza refrain can be joined (or loosely joined) together for the title of the poem.

Example #1:
Let’s Steal Away to Meet Again

Let’s steal away to some place cool,
     with rivulets that foam and pool
beneath a wooded, shady shore
     that frames the rocks with sycamore.
The afternoon has just begun; without delay,
let’s meet beneath the shaded sun...let’s steal away.

Let’s meet again where once we knew
     the buttercups with golden dew;
we scurried to our hidden spot
     where I recall forget-me-not.
And, we shall have the promised dreams that we did then,
as we revisit hideaways...let’s meet again.

Copyright © 2007 Jan Turner

Example #2:
A Chance Taken  (Wrapped Refrain)

Let's toss the dice while hormones rage.
although I'm bright I'm not a sage.
Escorting you I feel I've won
a treasure though we've just begun.
I've met your folks; they seem stable, loving, and nice.
That kind of template should suffice; let's toss the dice.

The dice were rolled and kids were born.
The raging cooled and you were torn
by boring days and nights alone.
I was at sea and could not phone.
Your searching started then; that's when the bells were tolled.
Though we parted since, I'm still glad the dice were rolled.

 © Lawrencealot - February 13, 2013


Visual Template

Wrapped Refrain Style 2

Wrapped Refrain (Form No. 2), created by Jan Turner, carries some similar aspects as her Wrapped Refrain form, with further advanced techniques. It consists of 2 or more stanzas of 8 lines each, with the following set rules:

Meter: 14, 14, 8, 8, 8, 8, 14, 14
Rhyme Scheme: a,a,b,b,c,c,d,d

Refrain rule: In each stanza, the first 10 syllables in the first line (incorporating a phrase) must be the last 10 syllables at the end of the last line (line #8).
Example #1:
Castle in the Clouds

Bavaria, you render dreams come true on hills of white.
Your castle glints through moonbeams, snowy spires in the night.
My mind says it’s just a mirage
or nature playing with collage...
that if I turn around I bet
it shall just disappear, and yet
my eyes instead see parapets that break the skyline blue,
as straight ahead, Bavaria, you render dreams come true.

Bavaria, your Disneyland is mine this very night;
it’s just as if your castle planned its setting, out of sight,
for some of us to stumble on.
But, if I blink will it be gone?
This castle you have hid so well
enchants me with its magic spell;
it lures me into fantasies en-wrapped with snowy pine.
You render dreams, Bavaria... your Disneyland is mine.

Copyright © 2009 Jan Turner

Pasted from <http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/wrappedrefrain2.html>

Example #2:
Consumption Gumption  (Wrapped Refrain style 2)

Folks of different cultures do of course feel differently.
I'd rather have them eat a horse instead of eating me.
A measure of degree again
for horses are almost our kin.
They're friends and assets with great worth
They've carried us and toiled the earth.
Man's climb from darkness was aided by the dog and the horse.
Eat them? No, but folks of different cultures do of course

To preclude cannibalism of course I'd eat a beast
who also soon would die, but it would be a sorry feast.
Moral questions now spring to light--
Is eating sentient things alright?
Natures template seems not to care.
Strong eat the weak most everywhere.
It's easy to eat "thoughtless" things but not our friend the horse--
unless required to preclude cannibalism of course.

 © Lawrencealot - Febrary 13, 2013.


Visual Template

Mirrored Refrain

The Mirrored Refrain is a rhyming verse form constructed by Stephanie Repnyek.       

The poem is formed by three or more quatrains where two lines within        

the quatrain are the "mirrored refrain" or alternating refrain.       

The rhyme scheme is as follows: xaBA, xbAB, xaBA, xbAB, etc..  

There is no set meter or line-length.      

       

x represents the only lines that do not have to rhyme within the poem.  

But you CAN choose to rhyme them.     

A and B represent the refrain.

Example Poem

A Night for Us

Her earrings match her blouse and skirt.

I hand the rose to my best friend,

With slow and silent kiss I start.

In brash flamboyant glee I end.

      

The fireplace shadows seem to flirt

With ceiling as the fire I start.

In brash flamboyant glee I end.

With slow and silent kiss I start.

      

We finish the night with the kids

at mom's so ardor will ascend.

With slow and silent kiss I start.

In brash flamboyant glee I end.

Visual Template