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Poetic Forms and Structures
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Rondeau
A short poem consisting of fifteen lines that have two rhymes throughout. The opening phrase is repeated twice as the refrain (the ninth and fifteenth lines).
Epic
A lengthy, narrative poem, often concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation.
Blank Verse
Non-rhyming poetry, usually written in iambic pentameter. It is often used for reflective and narrative poetry and is recognized by its consistent meter with unrhymed lines.
Villanelle
A 19-line poetic form with five tercets followed by a quatrain. It has two repeating rhymes and two refrains, with specific lines that repeat throughout the poem.
Cinquain
A five-line poem that follows a specific syllabic pattern. The most common cinquains in English adhere to a pattern of 2-4-6-8-2 syllables, respectively.
Sonnet
A small or little song or lyric that typically consists of 14 lines written in iambic pentameter. It has various rhyme schemes and is often divided into the octave and sestet or three quatrains and a couplet.
Pantoum
A poem with four-line stanzas in which lines are repeated. The second and fourth lines of each stanza serve as the first and third lines of the next stanza. The last line of the poem is often the same as the first.
Haiku
A traditional form of Japanese poetry with three lines. It typically contains 17 syllables, structured in a 5-7-5 pattern, and often captures images of nature or moments of beauty.
Limerick
A humorous poetic form consisting of five lines. The first, second, and fifth lines have a rhyme scheme of AABBA and usually have eight or nine syllables, while the third and fourth lines are shorter and have five or six syllables.
Sestina
A complex poetic form consisting of six stanzas of six lines each, followed by a three-line envoi. The six words that end each line in the first stanza are rotated as the end words in the following stanzas, in a set pattern.
Terza Rima
A rhyming verse stanza form that consists of an interlocking three-line rhyme scheme - ABA BCB CDC DED and so on. It often conveys a continual progression of thought and action.
Ghazal
A poetic form rooted in Arabic poetry, composed of couplets that share a rhyme and a refrain. Each line must have the same meter, and the poet's name is usually mentioned in the last couplet.
Couplet
Two lines of poetry that usually rhyme and have the same meter. Couplets are often used at the end of a sonnet or as a stand-alone poem.
Quatrain
A stanza of four lines, often with alternating rhyme. It's one of the most common and flexible poetic forms and can have various patterns of rhyme and meter.
Ode
A ceremonial or celebratory form of poetry, often lengthy and with a serious subject. It typically has a formal tone, intricate structure, and is marked by a heightened attention to the sensory qualities and emotions.
Acrostic
A poem in which the first letter of each line spells out a word, message, or the alphabet. It could follow any rhythm or rhyme pattern and often the word formed by the acrostic is the theme or main subject of the poem.
Ballad
A narrative poem that is usually set to music. Ballads are characterized by a repeating rhyme scheme and often include a refrain or recurring chorus.
Tanka
A classic form of Japanese poetry related to the haiku, with five lines and a total of 31 syllables, typically structured as 5-7-5-7-7.
Nonet
A nine-line poem that starts with a nine-syllable line, with each subsequent line decreasing by one syllable, ending in a line with just one syllable.
Free Verse
A form of poetry that does not follow regular patterns of meter or rhyme. The freedom from formal constraints allows for a broader range of rhythm and speech patterns.
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