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Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Pathways for the Poet by Viola Berg (1977) is a book for and by educators. Classic poetic forms as well as many invented forms which appear to have been invented as teaching tools or exercises for use in workshops or classrooms are included. Some of these invented forms I have found in use in internet poetry communities, a testament to their staying power. On this page I include the metric invented forms found there in which appear to be exclusive to the community of educators from whom Ms. Berg drew her support. I have yet to find these in any other source. I have included the syllabic invented forms on a separate page. Whether classroom exercise or sharpening your skill as a writer, some of these forms can be fun to play with. Amaranth is an invented verse form that was probably created as a teaching tool by Viola Gardner. It makes deliberate use of the 9 most common metric feet. Each line is one metric foot, the pattern changing from line to line. The elements of the Amaranth are: 9 line strophe. It is a stand-alone poem. metric, the 9 most common metric feet are used in sequence. L1 Spondee SS L2 Iamb uS L3 Pyrrhic uu L4 Dactyl Suu L5 Trochee Su L6 Amphimacer SuS L7 Choriamb SuuS L8 Anapest uuS L9 Amphibrach uSu rhymed at the discretion of the poet, although the metric restrictions are probably enough to contend with in this verse form. On the Cross by Judi Van Gorder Behold! I am without sinfulness. Blameless, innocent guileless, bereft pleasing God forever. Amphion, another 20th-century American verse form invented as a teaching tool. It alternates tetrameter lines with dimeter lines, created by Viola Berg. The elements of the Amphion are: a 10 line poem. metered, tetrameter lines alternate with sets of rhymed dimeter couplets. Rhymed, rhyme scheme abbaccdeed. Super Bowl Sunday by Judi Van Gorder A day of football at its end, the bowls of chips and gooey dips. Emotions now are on the mend the ups and downs the fan base clowns. The black and gold have got the win, the players crow, the losers go their loss is carried on the chin. Analogue is a metered invented form that is limited to 3 rhymes. Its source is Rena Ferguson Parks a 20th-century poet and educator. The elements of the Analogue are: a 9 line poem. metric, all lines are iambic pentameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbaabbcc. Growing Up by Judi Van Gorder Reflecting on my youth in circumstance, my younger days I'd wander here and there without a thought of what and why, or where. My passions were to laugh and sing and dance. Of course, I knew I needed to advance but many of life's dramas I will share, I mostly worried over what I'd wear. Eventually, I opened mind and heart, to look beyond myself and find my part. Arabesque created by Lucille Evans features head rhyme (rhyme at the beginning of the line) in couplets. The end words rise and fall.The elements of the Arabesque are: stanzaic, written in any number of couplets. metric in pattern but no line length is required. The beginning metric foot of each line is a trochee Su, subsequent feet at the discretion of the poet until the end foot of each line which are alternately trochee (falling or feminine) and iamb (rising or strong). Lines should be of equal length. rhymed, head rhyming couplets (rhyme at the beginning of the line). Sample by Judi Van Gorder Aching with a need to be sleeping, making my fingers continue to type. Writing a poem to be an example, fighting fatigue, can't help but gripe. Arkaham Ballad can be identified by the last line of each stanza being repeated as the first three metric feet of the next stanza. One more invented stanza form appears to be a teaching tool created by Queena Davidson Miller. It is not really a ballad but is suited to relate current events and news articles. The elements of the Arkaham Ballad are: stanzaic, written in any number of cinquains. accentual syllabic, iambic, L1, L3, L4 tetrameter and L2 and L5 trimeter. rhymed, rhyme scheme xabba xcddc xeffe etc. x being unrhymed. composed with L5 repeated as the 1st three metric feet of L1 of the next stanza. suited to current events and the news. Police Shooting by Judi Van Gorder They say an unarmed man was shot by cops who've run-a-muck. A family man who cut some hair and shaved a face or two. A pair of punks high-jacked a truck. The punks highjacked a truck and he was at the same address, police arrived and shots were fired, the barber hit and soon expired The why of it a guess. The Boutonniere seems to be an exercise in writing in catalectic trochaic meter. In other words, the stress comes first in each metric foot, but the last foot of the line, drops the last unstressed syllable. Trochaic tetrameter would be Su / Su/ Su/ Su. Catalectic trochaic tetrameter would be Su/Su/Su/S. Created by Ann Byrnes Smith. The elements of the Boutonniere are: written in 13 lines. metric, catalectic trochaic tetrameter. Su/Su/Su/S. rhymed, rhyme scheme A¹A² bbcccbddd A¹A². refrained, L1 is repeated as L12 and L2 is repeated as L13. Cali Fire Storm by Judi Van Gorder Running, running, running race, fire in flicking, licking pace. Roar of winds are whirling loud, crack and boom of heated shroud. Giant trees engulfed in flame, grass and houses all the same, human life, a piece of the game. Rushing storm in smoky cloud, choking, burning eyes and skin. Treasures lost, devoured within moments. Time and life a spin. Running, running, running race Fire in flicking, licking pace. The Briolette was invented in the 1950s by Viola Berg. The elements of the Briolette are: stanzaic, can be composed in any number of cinquains made up of a triplet and a rhyming couplet. metric, iambic tetrameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme aaabb cccdd etc. Briolette of India by Judi Van Gorder The Maharajah claimed it cursed the diamond cut to quench a thirst. King Richard, Lion Hearted, erst would take the gem on his crusade, a brilliance which will never fade. Canopus is an invented verse form which stresses a "continuous flow of thought". This is attributed to author Clement Wood of The Complete Rhyming Dictionary and Poet's Craft Book 1936. Canopus is also the 2nd brightest star in Earth's sky, though not visible to anyone living above latitude 37 degrees north of the northern hemisphere. The elements of the Canopus are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. metric, written in iambic pentameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme ababcbc. South of Latitude 37 by Judi Van Gorder Caryotte (French - carrot, a root vegetable) is also a verse form which is an exercise in meter and rhyme created by Robert Cary. The short, 2 foot lines with head and tail rhyme seem best suited for a List Poem of sorts. The elements of the Caryotte are: a 12 line poem, made up of 6 couplets. metric, dactylic dimeter with the 2nd foot catalexus (dropping an unstressed syllable.)Suu / Su composed with head and tail rhyme in each couplet. Rhyme scheme a-b a-b c-d c-d e-f e-f g-h g-h i-j i-j k-l k-l. Below, bold=stressed syllable... In English, rhyme should on the stressed syllable. sing and rising do not rhyme. singing and ring do rhyme. axx bx axx bx cxx dx cxx dx exx fx exx fx gxx hx gxx hx ixx jx ixx jx kxx lx kxx lx The Cycle appears to be an exercise in meter and rhyme. This invented verse form was created by Paul Emile Miller. The elements of the Cycle are: metric, L1 and L3 tetrameter made up of a trochee followed by a dactyl and 2 iambs; L1 and L3 often use feminine end words. L2 and L4 are iambic trimeter. "Pathways" description and example are in conflict, the description of meter here fits with the example poem. stanzaic, written in 3 quatrains. rhymed, abab cbcb dbdb. The Decannelle was made popular in 1949 when it was published in a poetry magazine. It was created by Joseph Nutter. The odd numbered lines have unrhymed feminine endings, while the even number lines have rhymed masculine endings. The elements of the Decannelle are: a decastich, a poem in 10 lines. metered, trochaic tetrameter, alternating 8-7-8-7-8-7-8-7-8-7 syllables causing the odd numbered lines to end with feminine end words. rhymed, xaxaxaxbxb with the x being unrhymed. Deaf Tones by Judi Van Gorder Beethoven, romantic genius, Maestro plays from deep inside. Music deigned to reign forever fingers flick and stroke then glide over and under the tenor octave tones that flow as if the tide. Swelling sonics soar and pulses race along unsanctified. Never halting ever daunting hearing gone, continued stride. Decathlon (Greek= contest of 10)) is said to be "suited to the fervid, the triumphant", created by Anne Pendleton. An exercise in meter and rhyme. The elements of the Decathlon are: a decastich, a poem in 10 lines. metered, L1, L2, L4, L6,L7 are tetrameter, L3, L5,L8 are dimeter, L9-L10 are pentameter (a heroic couplet. rhymed, axbxaccbdd. X being unrhymed. Decathlon-Invented Form by Judi Van Gorder The fervid and triumphant due, creating frame by predesign. Artistic try to write ten lines into a tome that's something new with book of words that match and rhyme entice to waste way too much time. Now shorten line and finish with iambic rhyming two, heroic couplet read on white in blue. The Dickson Nocturne seems to be an exercise in meter. It was created by Margaret Ball Dickson who at one time was head of Creative Writing at Valparaiso University, Indiana. The elements of the Dickson Nocturne are: strophic, a 12 line poem made up of a tercet, a quatrain and a cinquain. L1,L2, L4, L5, L6, L8, L9, L11 are dactylic trimeter, some catalectic (dropping a syllable at the end) and L3,L7,L10,L12 are iambic dimeter. L3, L7 and L12 are a repeated refrain. The Dionol created by Dion O'Donnell is another exercise in meter. This form employs a rentrament which is the repetition of a phrase from one line as a line elsewhere in the poem. The elements of the Dionol are: an octave with a rentrament as an added line, the last phrase of L2 is repeated as L9. metered, iambic pentameter with L9 iambic trimeter. abcddcbab. xx xx xx xx xa xx xx rr rr rb xx xx xx xx xc xx xx xx xx xd xx xx xx xx xd xx xx xx xx xc xx xx xx xx xb xx xx xx xx xa rr rr rb Dr Stella is a verse using sequential rhyme. It was developed by James Gray in honor of Dr Stella Woodall who was at one time president of the American Poetry League and editor of a couple of poetry magazines. The elements of the Dr Stella are: an octave made up of 2 quatrains. metered, alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter. rhymed, abcdabcd. L2 and L6 have feminine end words. The Dorsimbra seems to have been a collaborative project. Created in 3 parts by 3 poets, Frieda Dorris, Robert Simonton and Eve Braden. The elements of the Dorsimbra are: a 12 line poem, made up of 3 different framed quatrains. composed with the first quatrain alternate rhymed, iambic pentameter, the second quatrain, 4 lines of free verse, and the third quatrain blank verse, which is unrhymed iambic pentameter. rhymed, Abab xxxx xxxA. L1 is repeated as the refrain in L12. The Douzet is a verse form with a unique rhyme scheme in the last quatrain. An exercise in meter and rhyme found in Pathways but is attributed to an unknown which Berg found in Clement Wood's Poet's Craft Book 1936, a book I have yet to get my hands on. The elements of the Douzet are: a 12 line poem made up of 3 quatrains. metered, iambic pentameter. abba cddc abcd. The Duni has a complicated metric pattern and includes a pivot or change of thought in L6. Created by Mildred Dewey. The elements of the Duni are: a heptastich, 7 line poem. metric, L1 1 dactyl followed by 2 trochees and an Iamb L2 3 iambs L3 a trochee followed by an anapest and 2 iambs L4 3 iambs L5 3 iambs L6 4 iambs L7 1 iamb, followed by an anapest and an iamb composed with a pivot or change of thought in L6. rhymed, rhyme scheme abcacba. The Fialka is a strophic form with little restriction other than meter. The form was created by Viola Garner 20th century poet and educator. Fialka is Viola in Bohemian. The elements of the Fialka are: strophic, may be written in any number of lines. metric, written in amphibrach (short/long/short) trimeter. unrhymed. Open Blinds by Judi Van Gorder We wake with the warmth of the sunshine that falls without hesitant sureness across our disheveled covers and greets our awakening gently. The Frieze is a verse form that appears to be an exercise in feminine rhyme. Attributed to Olivia Freeman. The elements of the Frieze are: a poem in 9 lines. metered, iambic trimeter. composed with L2, L4, and L8 with feminine ending. rhymed, rhyme scheme abcbacabc. The Gardenia is a verse form that focuses on the amphibrach like the Fialka only in shorter lines. Created by Viola Gardner. The elements of the Gardenia are: a decastich (10 line poem) made up of 5 couplets. metered, amphibraic dimeter (2 amphibrachs) rhymed, aabbccddee. The La Velle is a verse form that combines couplets and triplets and was created by Nel Moldglin.The elements of the La Velle are: a poem in 15 lines, made up of 3 couplets and 3 triplets beginning with a couplet followed by 3 triplets and ending in 2 rhymed couplets. metered at the discretion of the poet. rhymed, each stanza is monorhymed, rhyme scheme aa bbb ccc ddd ee aa. The first and last couplets carry the same rhyme. The Lady's Slipper is a verse form that plays with internal rhyme within a very short line. The tiny poem with the close rhyme lends itself to silliness. It was originated by Viola Gardner The elements of The Lady's Slipper are: a tristich, a poem in 3 lines. metered, iambic trimeter lines. uS-uS-uS. composed with internal rhyme in each line. designed for the last line to leave the reader thinking, questioning. Training Day by Judi Van Gorder Within the open pen a filly kicks and tricks a cowgirl with a curl. Refilled by Judi Van Gorder I stand upon our land in awe of every flaw and virtue, I'm renewed. The Latova which I can only assume was created by the book author Viola Berg. This invented verse form appears to be an exercise in trochaic meter. The elements of the Latova are: a poem in 18 lines made up of 2 9 line stanzas. metered, trochaic tetrameter, the final foot of each line is catalectic. (drop the last unstressed syllable) rhymed, rhyme scheme abbcccbaa deefffedd. The Laurel is another invented verse form created by Viola Berg that switches meter and rhyme between stanzas. The elements of the Laurel are: a poem in 24 lines, made up of 4 sixains. metric, L1, L3, L4, L5 are iambic tetrameter, L2 and L6 are iambic trimeter. rhyme, abcccb adeeed fghhhg fijjji. the trimeter lines are indented. The Louise is a stanzaic form that seems to be an exercise in using feminine and masculine endings. It was created by Viola Berg. The elements of the Louise are: stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains. metric. L1, L2, L3 are pentameter (5 metric feet), L4 is iambic dimeter (2 metric feet) composed with L1 and L3 with feminine (unstressed) endings. rhymed. L2 and L4 rhyme. Rhyme scheme xaxa xbxb etc x being unrhymed. Land Ho! by Judi Van Gorder So long ago, adventure for a sailor, with well supplied, staunch ships Columbus sailed without a means to navigate the water New land they hailed. Lyra Chord is an invented verse form created by L. Ensley Hutton. The elements of the Lyra Chord are: an octastich. metered, L1,L2,L3,L5,L7 & L8 iambic pentameter, L4 & L6 iambic dimeter. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbcacdd. L1 & L5 also have internal rhyme. The Lyrelle is a stanzaic form that seems to be an exercise in metric line length. It was created by Velta Myrtle Allea Sanford. The elements of the Lyrelle are: stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains. metered, iambic. L1 dimeter, L2 trimeter, L3 tetrameter, L4 pentameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme abab Lyrelling by Judi Van Gorder I'm late again I am computer bound the words I write in meter penned, although in truth I do not like the sound. Medallion is an invented verse form is a shape poem using predominantly trochaic meter. This form was created Lilian Mathilda Svenson.The elements of the Medallion are: a poem in 9 lines. metric, L1-L8 are trochaic and L9 is iambic. Syllables per line 4-7-8-7-9-10-9-7-4. As you can tell from the odd numbered syllable count of L2, L4, L5, L7 & L8, these lines are either catalectic or acephaletic (dropping either the end syllable or first syllable from the line). For this form, although it is not so instructed, the example poem is catalectic. rhymed, rhyme scheme xabccbadd. shaped. The poem should be centered on the page. Metric Pyramid is a verse form that builds a pyramid from the top down with lengthening metric feet per line, created by John Milton Smither. The elements of the Metric Pyramid are: a shape poem, center the poem on the page. an octastich, a poem in 8 lines. metric, graduated iambic metric feet in each line. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 metric feet per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbaabba. Neville is a verse form with a combination of trimeter and tetrameter lines, created in honor of Mrs. Neville Saylor by James B. Gray. The elements of the Neville are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. metric, L1, L4, & L7 are iambic tetrameter and L2,L3,L5 & L6 are iambic trimeter. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbacca. Macy's Parade Day by Judi Van Gorder At times like these when nights are long and cold becomes a skean that stabs my flesh between my shoulder blades, the wind is strong. I bundle for the chill, wool scarf a codicil, then venture out to join the throng. The Palette creates a vivid word painting within a brief and lyrical poem. It is simply a short poem, using vivid imagery. This genre was specified by Viola Berg. There is no prescribed structure or rhyme. The only mandate is the poem should create a brilliant image in the reader's mind.The defining features of the Palette are: a word painting. framed at the discretion of the poet. Poor Man's Rhododendron by Judi Van Gorder A white blossom rounded with a blush, a hint of pale pink on the soft curve of each lazy petal that spreads wide to catch the sun's kiss. The Quinnette is "designed for the elfin or humorous or for nature themes." (that is the 2nd time I came across this statement in Pathways. ~~smile~~This was created by Ethelyn Miller Hartwich. The elements of the Quinnette are: a decastich made up of 2 quintains. metric, each quintain is written in trochaic tetrameter accept L3 which is trochaic trimeter. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabaaccbcc. The Quintanelle challenges the poet to write a complete sentence and break it into 5 metric lines with rhyme. This stanzaic form was introduced by Lyra Lu Vaile. The elements of the Quintanelle are: stanzaic, written in any number of quintains. metered, L1, L2, L5 pentameter, L3 dimeter and L4 trimeter. Each quintain should be one complete iambic sentence. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbb, ccddd etc. The Quintette is an invented verse form with an unusually placed refrain. It was created by Fay Lewis Noble.The elements of the Quintette are: a poem in 15 lines made up of 3 quintains. metric, stanza 1 & 3 are iambic pentameter, stanza 2 all lines are iambic, L1,L5 are dimeter and L3 is pentameter and L2,L4 are tetrameter. L1 of the 1st stanza is repeated as L3 of the 2nd stanza and L5 of the 3rd stanza. rhymed, rhyme scheme Ababb acAca dada. The Repete is an invented form similar to the Rondel. It was introduced by Viola Berg. Although it is 14 lines it does not pretend to be a sonnet. The elements of the Repete are: a quatorzain made up of an octave and a sestet. metric, iambic tetrameter. rhymed, turned on only 2 rhymes, rhyme scheme ABababAB ababAB L1 becomes a refrain repeated L7 & L13 and L2 is a refrain repeated in L8 & L14. The Ripple Echo is an invented stanzaic form that "begins and ends its stanzas with rhyming ripple and echo couplets". I am not quite what that means but it sounds fun. What I am sure of is, L2 and L8 of each octave are anapestic mono meter rhyming with the previous line. This form was introduced by L. Ensley Hutton. The elements of the Ripple Echo are: stanzaic, written in any number of octaves, made up of 4 rhymed couplets. metric, L1,L3,L4,L5,L6,L7 are catalectic trochaic tetrameter, L2 & L8 are anapestic monometer. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbccdd. L2 & L8 are indented. The Rosemary is an invented verse form that uses envelope quatrains. It was introduced by Viola Berg. The elements of the Rosemary are: a poem in 12 lines, made up of a rhymed couplet, 2 envelope quatrains followed by a rhymed couplet. metric, iambic pentameter. rhymed aabccbdeedff. L4,L5 and L8,L9 are indented. The Sacred Signia is an invented verse form is a decastich. Introduced by Viola Berg.The elements of the Sacred Signia are: a decastich, a poem in 10 lines. metric, L1,L3,L5,L7-L10 are iambic pentameter and L2,L4,L6 are iambic dimeter. rhymed, rhyme scheme ababcbccaa. San Hsien named for the three strings of a Chinese lute (sanxian = Chinese: 三弦, literally "three strings"), is another invented verse form in a decastich. It was created by Jessamine Fishback. The elements of the San Hsien are: a decastich, a poem in 10 lines. metric, iambic dimeter, two metric feet. L1 is acephaletic (drops the 1st unstressed syllable). rhyme, rhyme scheme ABbaccabBA. composed with a refrain, L1 & L2 are repeated as L9 & L10 in reverse. sanxian by Judi Van Gorder Seafonn (Anglo Saxon for seven) is a verse form named for its total number of lines, introduced by Elizabeth Maxwell Phelps .An argument is presented in the first 5 lines and the counter point in the ending couplet. A lot to jam into such a short frame. The elements of the Seafonn are: a heptastich made up of quintain followed by a couplet. metric, iambic tetrameter, with L2 and L5 catalectic. rhymed, abccb aa. Sestennelle is a stanzaic invented form introduced by Lyra LuVaile with a variable meter. The elements of the Sestenelle are: stanzaic, written in any number of sixains made up of 2 tercets. The original is 3 sixains. metric, iambic, L1&L4 a dimeter, L2&L5 are trimeter and L3&L6 are pentameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabccb ddeffe gghiih etc. suggested that the lines be centered. Sevenelle is a stanzaic invented form created by Virginia Noble which cannot only be found in "Pathways..." but is also in the Study and Writing of Poetry by Amy Jo Zook and Wauneta Hackleman, 1996. The elements of the Sevenelle are: stanzaic, written in no less than 2 septets, each made up of a rhymed couplet, tercet and couplet in that order. metric, iambic tetrameter. rhymed, aabbbCC ddeeeCC etc. composed with L6&L7 of the first stanza repeated as refrain in the last 2 lines of all subsequent stanzas. Welcome the New Year by Judi Van Gorder While this last year prepares to leave, It's Happy, Happy New Year's Eve. Let go of past endeavours failed, they're done, can't change, that ship has sailed. A new day dawns with hope entailed. Goodbye to 2022, Hail 2023, brand new! So raise a glass in gratitude for lessons, blessings and latitude the months gonebye have given you. Embrace the good, seek wisdom due from all the rest, a heady brew. Goodbye to 2022, Hail 2023, brand new! Sonnette appears to be an invented attempt to write a half sonnet, introduced by Sherman Ripley. The elements of the Sonnette are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines made up of a quatrain followed by a tercet. metric, iambic pentameter. rhymed, abba cbc. The Stellar is an invented stanzaic form framed in octaves and introduced by Viola Berg. The elements of the Stellar are: stanzaic, written in any number of octaves. metric, iambic L1-L4, & L8 are tetrameter, L5 & L6 are catalectic pentameter and L8 is dimeter. rhymed, ababccdd efefgghh etc. because L5 &L6 are catalectic, they have feminine endings. The Trillium is an invented verse form, a pentastich with long and short lines. The elements of the Trillium are: a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines. metric, iambic, L1 & L5 are trimeter and L2 - L4 are catalectic, hexameter. rhymed, abbba. because L2-L4 are catalectic they will have feminine endings. xx xx xa xx xx xx xx xx b xx xx xx xx xx xb xx xx xx xx xx b xx xx xa The Tulip is an invented verse form, a tetrastich with a combination of metric patterns. It was introduced by Viola Gardener. The elements of the Tulip are: a tetrastich, a poem in 4 lines. metric, L1 & L3 are iambic pentameter, L2 dimeter, a spondee followed by an amphibrach and L4 is dimeter, an iamb followed by an amphibrach. rhymed abab. because of the amphibrach foot at the end of L2 & L4 they have feminine endings. Starbucks by Judi Van Gorder The price of java going up and up Good God! Horrendous! The cost of coffee is four bucks a cup. The line, tremendous! The Virelet is an invented variation of the French Virelai and was introduced by Viola Berg. The elements of the Virelet are: stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains. isometric with a stanzaic frame of long/short/long/short lines set by the first stanza. The actual metric length and pattern of the alternate lines is at the discretion of the poet. rhymed, interlocking rhyme abab bcbc cdcd etc. The Wavelet is an invented verse form alternating couplets and tercets and introduced by Marie L. Blanche Adams. The elements of the Wavelet are: poem in 12 lines made up of 3 couplets alternating with 2 tercets. metric, the couplets are catalectic iambic trimeter and the tercets are iambic tetrameter, rhymed, aabcbddeceff. The couplets are feminine rhymed dropping the stressed syllable at the end of the line. Zenith is a stanzaic form with meter and line length left to the discretion of the poet. It was introduced by Viola Berg. The elements of the Zenith are: stanzaic, written in any number of sixains. meter at the discretion of poet. rhymed, abcabc defdef etc.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Shadow Poetry is a poetry community that has been on line since 2000. It encourages poets to "walk out of the shadows with their poetry". It is a popular site with on line poets who, though they may not be contributing members, use the site as a resource. Often they return to their own communities with some new challenge they found at Shadow Poetry or with a new poem inspired by the site's resources. The following forms were found either exclusive to that site or appear to have been invented by Shadow members. Some of these forms are better thought out than others. 7/5 Trochee is an invented stanzaic form, the defining feature is use of catalectic trochaic meter. It was created by Andrea Dietrich for which she offers a couple of variations. The elements of the 7/5 Trochee are: stanzaic, a minimum of 2 quatrains. metered, trochaic meter (Stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable) with catalectic end words (dropping the unstressed syllable at the end), (L1 and L3 Su Su Su S) (L2 and L4 Su Su S). L1 & L3 are trochaic tetrameter and L2 & L4 are trochaic tri-meter. rhymed, variable rhyme schemes available, abab cdcd etc. or axax bxbx etc. x being unrhymed or (a/a)x(b/b)x (c/c)x(d/d)x etc with (internal rhyme) in L1 and L3, x being unrhymed. Internal rhyme variable (a/a)b(c/c)b (the internal rhyme may be placed anywhere within the 1st half of the line.) x a x x x x a - x x x x b - x x c x x x c - x x x x b The meter should be a S=stress u=unstressed with the end trochee dropping the unstressed syllable. Su Su Su S Su Su S Su Su Su S Su Su S Family Fight Night by Judi Van Gorder From the den comes shouts and groans watching boxers dance. Punches, dodges, muscles, bones crunch, they hold their stance. Fight on pay per view tonight, guys around TV. Wives in kitchen share a bite while the kids run free. A L'Arora is a stanzaic invented verse form. It was created by Laura Lamarca. The defining features of The L'Arora are: stanzaic, written in any number of alternating sixains and couplets. unmetered. rhymed, rhyme scheme xxxxxa xa xxxxxb xb xxxxxc xc xxxxxd xd etc. x being unrhymed. Route 91 Harvest Festival by Judi Van Gorder Three day venue of fun, down home western music blares from concert stage where three thousand gather to listen to country stars. Finale just begun. Popping sounds intervene rapid sound from a gun Fans crouched in the darkness bullets skipped off the ground, ricocheted into the crowd. Chaos, panic and pain, hundreds running, wounded. Fifty eight dead tonight. High up across the way, coward leaves no insight. The Alouette (French for Skylark) is a stanzaic invented form with a syllabic meter which is meant to be an expression of the skylark's song. The form is syllabic with a recommended prominent stress in the 3rd syllable of each line. It was created by Jan Turner. The elements of the Alouette are: stanzaic, any number of sixains. syllabic , 5-5-7-5-5-7 syllables per line with the prominent stress in the 3rd syllable of each line. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabccb ddeffe gghiih etc. Month of August by Judi Van Gorder Begun as month six, eighth after the fix, named for Emperor of Rome. Just thirty-one days, in hot summer haze Augustus ascended his throne. The Blitz Poem is a recent invented verse form found on line at Shadow Poetry, it was created by a New York, English teacher and poet,Robert Keim. As the name implies it is meant to be written with a rush of phrases and images in rapid repetition as if creating a sudden and intense attack on the senses. It is a kind of twisted Chain Verse. The elements of the Blitz are: stanzaic, written in 25 couplets, a total of 50 lines. unmetered. Lines should be short, but at least 2 words, like rapid fire. unrhymed. composed with words that are repeated from line to line in a chain like pattern: L1 A short phrase, can be cliché. L2 The first word of L1 is repeated as the first word of L2. From here on, the last word of the even numbered line is repeated as the first word of each line in the next couplet through L48. L49 is the repetition of the last word of L48. (1 word line only) L50 is the repetition of the last word of L47. (1 word line only) unpunctuated. titled, which includes the first word of L3 and L47 bridged by a conjunction or preposition. Faith and Hope by Judi Van Gorder Sonoma strong Sonoma faith Faith and grit Faith fleeing Fleeing in fear Fleeing the storm Storm of fire Storm of loss Loss of home Loss in a roar Roar through trees Roar sending sparks Sparks fly Sparks ignite grass Grass burns Grass then homes. Homes of years Homes of families Families scattered Families missing all All treasures All threatened Threatened by smoke Threatened by fire Fire surrounds Fire devours Devours survival Devours escape Escape to safe haven Escape the flames Flames heat unbearable Flames scatter pets. Pets left behind Pet abandoned to fend Fend for themselves Fend with wildlife Wildlife scorched Wildlife wounded Wounded is our spirit Wounded but not broken Broken dreams Broken future Future hopes Future in process Process to cope Process to survive Survive this moment Survive with hope Hope survives. The Brevette is a small verse form invented by Emily Romano, Shadow Poetry and is almost the same frame as the Trio without the rhyme. It is defined by its brevity. The elements of the Brevette are: a tristich, a poem in 3 lines, composed in 3 words, a subject (noun), verb, and object (noun) in that order. The words are not limited by syllable count, "but the poem should have balance". It was suggested that the verb be spaced to give it the appearance of on going action. unrhymed. poet p e n s prosody --- jvg This is not going to be high poetry. Cascade is a verse form found at Shadow Poetry that attempts to capture "the smooth cascading rhythm of a waterfall". It is set up with repeated lines similar to a Pantun. It was created by Udit Bhatia. The elements of the Cascade are: stanzaic, made up of 4 tercets or 5 quatrains or 6 cinquains or 7 sixains etc. accentual, the rhythm of natural speech. unrhymed. composed with a refrain. The lines of the first stanza are sequentially repeated as the last line of the subsequent stanzas. ABC xxA xxB xxC or ABCD xxxA xxxB xxxC xxxD or ABCDE xxxxA xxxxB xxxxC xxxxD xxxxE, x being unrhymed. Vote by Judi Van Gorder I have a voice You have a voice We have a voice I'm not being coy I speak my passion I have a voice Time to make a choice What is your vote? You have a voice. We can rejoice Together we are strong. We have a voice. Cinq Trois Deca La Rhyme an invented form found at Shadow Poetry, created by Laura Lamarca. The elements of the Cinq Trois Deca La Rhyme are: a decastich, a poem in 10 lines. syllabic, 15 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbcccabc. Clarity Pyramid was invented by Jerry P Quinn and is another form found at Shadow Poetry. This verse focuses on defining the first word of the poem. The elements of the Clarity Pyramid are: a heptastich, made up a 2 tercets followed by a single line. syllabic, L1 1 syllable, L2 2 syllables, L3 3 syllables, L4 4 syllables, L5 5 syllables, L6 6 syllables and the last L7 is 7 syllables. L1 is capitalized and is the theme and title of the poem. L2 and L3 are synonyms for L1. L4, L5, L6 provide concrete images of L1. L7 is a phrase to define L1 (this line is written with quotation marks) often centered on the page TIME moment eternal a second hand moves without haste or concern moving in circumference "which antiquates antiquities". "Time which antiquates antiquities, and hath an art to make dust of all things." by Sir Thomas Brown (1605-1682) Religio Medici Compound Word Verse is an invented verse form that uses a stem word from the title to end each stanza in a compound form. Created by Margaret R Smith and found at Shadow Poetry. (stem word = rain) stanza end words could be rainbow, rainfall, raincoat, raindrop, rainstorm etc. The elements of the Compound Word Verse are: stanzaic, written in 5 tercets. syllabic, 8-8-3 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme aax bbx ccx ddx eex; x being unrhymed. each tercet ends with a compound of a stem word in the title. Beyond the Grave by Judi Van Gorder The Constanza is a woven poem similar in effect to the Cleave or Trigee.It was invented by Connie Marcum Wong and can be found at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Constanza are: stanzaic, written in 3 or more tercets. syllabic, 8 syllable lines. rhymed, the a stanzaic linking rhyme carried by L1 of each tercet followed by rhymed couplets. abb acc add aee aff etc. composed so that if L1 of each tercet was read in sequence it should create a stand alone poem. L2 and L3 of each tercet is an expansion on the first line woven in to give deeper understanding, thus creating 2 poems in one. The Con-Verse created by Connie Marcum Wong, is an invented verse form similar to Converse in Couplets. Although the Shadow Poetry description doesn't require it be written as exchanged dialogue, the name infers it. The elements of the Con-Verse are: stanzaic, written in 5 couplets. For a longer poem, repeat the pattern. syllabic, 7-7 8-8 9-9 10-10 11-11 syllables, in that sequence. rhymed, rhyme scheme aa bb cc dd ee. Conversation at the Office by Judi Van Gorder The Decuain seems to be a 10 x 10 poem, found only at Shadow Poetry and created by Shelley A. Cephas. The elements of the Decuain are: stanzaic, written in any number of 10 line stanzas. metered, iambic pentameter or 10 syllables. rhymed, ababbcbcaa, ababbcbcbb, or ababbcbccc. The Diatelle is similar to the etheree but longer and with rhyme. It can be found at Shadow Poetry and was created by Bradley Vrooman. The elements of the Diatelle are: 15 line poem. syllabic, 1-2-3-4-6-8-10-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1, rhymed, rhyme scheme abbcbccaccbcbba. often center aligned which creates a diamond shape. A Book in My Nook by Judi Van Gorder The Duo-rhyme turns on only 2 rhymes. It was found at Shadow Poetry and was created by Mary L. Ports. The elements of the Duo-rhyme are: either a decastich or a dodecastich, at the choice of the poet. metered, iambic tetrameter. rhymed, aabbbbbbaa or aabbbbbbbbaa. Epulaeryu verse is a homage to the main course of a meal. It was created and named by Joseph Spence Sr. after his experience in the Mediterranean and Far East, obviously enjoying the culinary arts there. It was found at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Epulaeryu are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. syllabic, 7-5-7-5-5-3-1 syllable per line. punctuated with an exclamation mark at the end of L7! composed with one thought per line focused on the main course of a meal. The final line should express the poet's emotion regarding the meal. rhymed at the poet's discretion. Comfort Food by Judi Van Gorder Nothing exotic tonight just down home cooking but it fills up the stomach and tantalizes taste buds with goodness Mom's Pot Pie, Yum! Essence is a rhyming hexasyllabic couplet with internal rhyme with a twist. Normally in English prosody "internal rhyme" refers to a word within the line rhyming with the end word of that line or the end word of the previous line. However in this verse form internal rhyme refers to words from somewhere within the line rhyming internally within the next line, it could be 1 or 2 rhymes. (This could be tricky in only 6 short syllables.) Found at ShadowPoetry.com and attributed to Emily Romano, published in P.O.E.T. magazine in 1981. The elements of the Essence are: stanzaic, written in any number of couplets. syllabic, hexasyllabic lines. end rhymed as well as interlaced rhyme. x b x x c a b x c x x a The b and c interlaced rhymes may be placed in any position within the lines, the c rhyme is optional. Two short lines with end rhyme sort within, tend to time. ---Judi Van Gorder The Florette was invented by Jan Turner. It appears to be her attempt to emulate in poetic form, the growth of a flower by lengthening the last line of each stanza longer than the others, showing growth. The Florette is stanzaic, written in any number of either quatrains or cinquains: When written in quatrains the elements of the Florette are: syllabic, quatrains 8-8-8-12 rhymed, quatrains aaba ccdc etc with internal cross rhyme from L3 to L4. x x x x x x x a x x x x x x x a x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x b x x x a enjambed, L3 and L4 must be enjambed without endstop in L3. Prelude by Judi Van Gorder I'm Broke by Judi Van Gorder When written in cinquains the elements of the Florette # 2 are: metric, accentual syllabic, L1 thru L4 iambic tetrameter (4 metric feet) and L5 iambic heptameter (6 metric feet). rhymed, aabba ccddc etc. no internal rhyme suggested. enjambment not a requirement. The Grá Reformata, is an invented expansion of the Villanelle created by Michael King. The elements of the Grá Reformata are: a verse form written with alternating 5 tercets and 4 couplets and ending in a quatrain, a poem in 27 lines. iambic pentameter alternating L1 and L3 of the first tercet as a refrain in L3 of subsequent tercets ending the poem with a refrain taken from L1 and L3 in the first stanza. written with only 2 end rhymes with a rhyme scheme of A¹bA² xx abA¹ xx abA² xx abA¹ xx abA² xx abA¹A². x being unrhymed. The HexSonnetta is a verse form that is an invented variation of the sonnet. The form created by Andrea Dietrich has short lines and a prescribed pivot. "hex" meaning 6 is supported by the 2 septets and the 6 syllable lines. The elements of the HexSonnetta are: a quatorzain made up of 2 sestets followed by a rhymed couplet. metered, iambic trimeter. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbaab cddccd ee. turned, the pivot occurs between the septets and the exclamatory couplet sums up the 2 sestets and provides the solution to the problem set up in the 2 sestets. A Case For Blue The blue above speaks hope to all who see its hue. Its truth inspires a new designed kaleidoscope The only color to stop, maintain its nature true. Its clarity provides an ease to fill my lungs with earth's many songs I breathe in air that slides in nostrils flared and wide, essential to live strong. It's unimportant which of many tints to switch. ~~Judi Van Gorder Inverted Refrain is an invented form found at Shadow Poetry, created by the winner of their 2007 Chap Book Competition, Jan Turner and published in Faery Folk and Fireflies.I believe the form took its name from the rhetorical device, "inverted refrain", originally used by the ancient Greek poet Sappho. "Inverted refrain" is a writing technique in which the syntax of a line is reversed. eg ..the Sapphic line "I know not what to do". I am not sure that the composition instruction at Shadow Poetry exactly fits the literary definition of "inverted refrain" but the form could still be a fun challenge to conquer as long as it enhances the delivery of the poet's thoughts. The elements of the Inverted Refrain as an invented verse form are: stanzaic, written in any number of sixains, made up of a quatrain followed by an indented couplet. syllabic, all lines are 8 syllables. rhymed, rhyme scheme ababab or ababba, cdcdcd or cdcddc etc. composed in the following manner, "the first four lines of a stanza create a statement from which the last 2 lines extract the meaning, and invert the way it is said." Jan Turner @Shadow Poetry Finding Faeries by Jan Turner (stanza 1) the whole poem can be read at Shadow Poetry. A sprinkling shine of faery dust is mica-layered on the rocks Pretending to be nature's crust It really is a paradox: --------- A paradox of mica rocks From faery dust on nature's crust. The Joseph's Star is an invented stanzaic form which follows a prescribed syllabic pattern. This is unlike many such patterns because it demands a complete phrase or thought in each line. The elements of the Joseph's Star are: stanzaic, written in any number octaves. syllabic, 1-3-5-7-7-5-3-1 syllables per line. unrhymed. composed with each line a complete phrase or thought. The La Charta (Latin- charta = poem) is an invented stanzaic form by Laura Lamarca with a structured tumbling rhyme. The elements of the LaCharta are: stanzaic, written in any number of sixains, minimum 3. metric, accentual syllabic, iambic tetrameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme aaaabb ccccdd eeeeff etc. The Boy Who Loved Laughter by Judi Van Gorder The LaJemme is an invented verse form with a changing metric pattern and cross rhyming specific to the 4th syllable of the next line, created by Laura Lamarca and Jem Farmer. It seems a little contrived but if your poem has heart, it can work. The elements of the LaJemme are: a poem written in 5 quatrains. composed with a different metric and rhyme pattern for each of the stanzas. Stanza 1 All lines iambic pentameter, rhyme abab, L1-L3 cross rhymed to the 4th syllable of the following line x x x x x x x x x a x x x a x x x x x b x x x b x x x x x a x x x a x x x x x b Stanza 2 L1-L3 iambic tetrameter, L4 iambic tri-meter, rhyme cdef, couplets cross rhyme to the 4th syllable of the following line. x x x x x x x c x x x c x x x d d rhyme will be echoed in S3 L4-L5 x x x x x x x e x x x e x f f rhyme will be echoed in S3 L2-L3 Stanza 3 L1-L3 iambic tetrameter, L4 iambic tri-meter, rhyme gfdf, L1-L3 cross rhymed to the 4th syllable of the following line x x x x x x x g x x x g x x x f x x x f x x x d x x x d x f Stanza 4 All lines iambic pentameter, rhyme hihi, L1-L3 cross rhymed to the 4th syllable of the following li x x x x x x x x x h x x x h x x x x x I x x x I x x x x x h x x x h x x x x x i Stanza 5 Repeats the pattern of Stanza 1 including the rhyme abab x x x x x x x x x a x x x a x x x x x b x x x b x x x x x a x x x a x x x x x b. La'libertas, an invented verse form found at Shadow Poetry. Com, alternates syllabic, rhymed quatrains with sixains written without rhyme or metric specification and ends with a couplet in any language other than English framed at the poet's discretion. The La of La'libertas is from the creator's name, Laura Lamarca and libertas is Latin for liberty. The elements of the La'libertas are: a 22 line poem made up of alternating quatrains and sixains and ending in a couplet. composed with stanzas 1 and 3 syllabic, each line is 8 syllables. Stanzas 2, and 4 are unmetered and the closing couplet is framed at the discretion of the poet. partially rhymed, stanza 1 and 3 are rhymed, stanza 1 - abba and stanza 3 baab. Stanza 2 and 4 are unrhymed and the final couplet is rhymed at the discretion of the poet. ended with a couplet in any language except English framed at the discretion of the poet. The Lannet is an invented verse form that appears to me to be a duplicate of the Unrhymed SonnetThe only discernable nuance is the syllabic lines rather than the 5 stressed accentual meter which can or cannot amount to the same thing. It was found at Shadow Poetry. The creator Laura Lamarca suggests internal rhyme is allowed and the stanza breaks are at the poet's discretion. This invented form seems redundant since the Unrhymed Sonnet can be found as far back as the 17th century. The elements of the Lannet are: a quatorzain. The 14 lines may be unbroken or broken into stanzas at the poet's discretion. composed with unrhymed end words but internal rhyme is allowed. syllabic, 10 syllables per line. (Iambic pentameter lines are 10 syllables also but this form is not measured by an iambic pattern.) composed without prescribed pivot. The La'ritmo is an invented verse form with a changing refrain created by Laura Lamarca, The elements of the La'ritmo are: a poem in 32 lines made up of 8 quatrains. syllabic, dodecasyllabic (12 syllables) rhymed, rhyme scheme aabb ccbB ddbB eeff ggfF hhfF iibB jjfF written with a changing refrain, L8 is repeated as a refrain at L12 and L24, L20 is repeated as a refrain in L32 La'Tuin is an invented stanzaic form that reminds me of the Old French family of forms, the Ballade and its variations. The challenge of the form is the limited 3 rhyme sounds throughout the poem no matter how many stanzas are written. The form was found at Shadow Poetry.com. La of the name is from the name of the creator, Laura Lamara and Tuin is a giant turtle (a symbol of Mother Earth) from a Diskworld series. The elements of the La'Tuin are: stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains, with a minimum of 4. syllabic, alternating 9 and 8 syllable lines, beginning the poem with a 9 syllable line. rhymed, turned on only 3 rhymes, rhyme scheme abca abca etc. repeated in each stanza. The Galapagos by Judi Van Gorder The Lauranelle is an invented verse form which uses elements of both the Villanelle and the Terzanelle and was created by Laura Lamarca. The elements of the Lauranelle are: a poem in 22 lines made up of 6 tercets followed by a quatrain. metric, accentual syllabic, a strict iambic pentameter L1 and L3 are repeated as the last 2 lines of the poem L21 and L22 rhyme with an interlocking rhyme scheme and a little twist in L16, A¹bA² bcb cdc ded efe fbf ggA¹A² Paradise Erupted by Judi Van Gorder Lento found at Shadow Poetry is an invented verse form that has head and tail rhyme, uses rhyme at both ends of the line. It was created by Lencio Dominic Rodrigues. The elements of the Lento are: an octastich made up of 2 quatrains. A Double Lento is 4 quatrains and a Triple Lento is 6 quatrains. meter at the discretion of the poet. rhymed. The first word of the line in each quatrain is mono-rhymed, rhyme scheme aaaa bbbb. The rhyme scheme of the end words is xcxc xdxd , x being unrhymed, although alternating rhyme could be used, cdcd efef. Fall's Fancy by Judi Van Gorder The Cold Outside by Judi Van Gorder The Licentia Rhyme Form is an invented stanzaic form created by Laura Lamarca and found at Shadow Poetry. This verse is a long form with a unique pattern of repetition. (licentia is Latin for "to be permitted") The elements of the Licentia Rhyme Form are: stanzaic, written with 3 to 5 - 12 line stanzas made up of 6 rhymed couplets each. syllabic, lines are 11 syllables each. rhymed, rhyme scheme A¹A²B¹B²C¹C²D¹D²E¹E²A¹A², B¹B²ffgghhiiA¹A², C¹C²jjkkllmmA¹A² etc. composed with repetition, L1 & L2 are repeated as L11 & L12 of each stanza including the first stanza. L3 & L4 are repeated as L1 & L2 of the 2nd stanza, L5 & L6 are repeated as L1 & L2 of the 3rd stanza, if more added, L7 & L8 are L1 & L2 of the 4th stanza and L9 & L10 are L1 & L2 of the 5th stanza.... Line Messaging is an invented poetic device or technique in which the last line of each stanza or strophe when read independently and consecutively, form a message, kind of a "last line" Acrostic. The term for this technique is the idea of Angel Favazza and found at Shadow Poetry. Loop Poetry is an invented variation of the 17th century, French Chain Verse. This stanzaic form is attributed to Hellon at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Loop Poetry are: stanzaic, written with a minimum of 2 stanzas with the number of lines per stanza at the poet's discretion. unmetered. rhymed xaxa xbxb etc. x being unrhymed. When written in couplets the rhyme scheme is bizarre xx aa xxxx bb cc xxxx xx dd. x being unrhymed. chained, the last word of each stanza is the first word of the next stanza. Memento is a themed syllabic verse form. Created by Emily Romano and found at Shadow Poetry, the poem should celebrate a particular holiday or anniversary. The elements of the Memento are: a hexastich, a poem in 6 lines made up of 2 tercets. syllabic 8-6-2 8-6-2 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme abc abc. themed, honoring or celebrating a holiday or anniversary. Graduation by Judi Van Gorder Holiday at Low Tide by Judi Van Gorder Mirrored Refrain is an invented stanzaic form which has 2 refrains which are flipped at the end of each stanza. This form was created by Stephanie Repayek. The elements of the Mirrored Refrain are: stanzaic, written in 3 or more quatrains. metered. Line length and pattern at the discretion of the poet. rhymed, rhyme scheme xaBA xbAB xaBA etc. (note the form is turned on only 3 rhymes.) x being unrhymed. posed with 2 refrains. L3 and L4 of the 1st quatrain become the refrain for subsequent stanzas. The refrains alternate position with each stanza. Soaring Free by Judi Van Gorder Mirror Sestet is an invented stanzaic form which uses the 17th century French Chained Verse within each stanza but doesn't link the stanzas. It was created by Shelley A Cephas. The elements of the Mirror Sestet are: stanzaic, written in any number of sixains, each made up of 3 couplets. (For the purists, technically the term sestet describes a 6 line stanza written in conjunction with other patterned stanzas as in the sonnet. When all of the stanzas are 6 lines, sixain or sexain is more accurate.) unmetered. Line length and pattern are at the discretion of the poet. rhymed, head and tail rhyme (1st word of the line rhymes with the last word in the line.) in L1,L3 and L5 of each stanza. (a variation would be to be unrhymed.) chained, Chain Verse L1,L2 are linked by the last word of the first line is the first word of the next line. L3,L4, and L5,L6 are also linked in the same manner. The Musette is an invented verse form that presents the challenge of writing in very short lines. This form was introduced by Emily Romano and found only at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Musette are: stanzaic, written in any number of tercets. syllabic, 2-4-2 2-4-2 2-4-2 syllables per line. rhymed axa bxb cxc etc. x being unrhymed. Give cheer! My new laptop is here! Nove Otto is an invented verse form with a little different rhyme scheme, created by Scott J. Alcorn. The elements of the Nove Otto are: a poem in 9 lines. syllabic, 8 syllables per line. rhymed aacbbcddc. Company's Coming by Judi Van Gorder Octameter not only means 8 metric feet in a line, it also is the name of an invented verse form that isn't metric at all. This was created by Shelley A Cephas. The elements of the Octameter verse form are: 16 line frame made up of 2 octaves. syllabic, lines of 5 syllables each. rhymed, rhyme scheme xxabxbxb cxacxcbb x being unrhymed. (sometimes you just have to wonder) Octelle is an invented form that specifically asks that the poem include personification and symbolism. It was created by Emily Romano. The elements of the Octelle are: an octastich, a poem in 8 lines. syllabic, 8-8-7-7-7-7-8-8 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme A1A2bbccA1A2 L1 is repeated as L7 and L2 is repeated as L8. Oddquain is a pentastich with odd numbered syllabled lines that add up to 17 syllables invented by Glenda L. Hand. It is haiku-like in that is compact, utilizing the maximum syllable count of the haiku but breaking it into 5 lines. The elements of the Oddquain are: a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines or it can be stanzaic, written in any number of cinquains. syllabic, 1-3-5-7-1 syllables per line. usually unrhymed. can be written in variation: Crown of Oddquains - written in 5 cinquains. A crown always is written with the last line of the stanza repeated as the first line of the next stanza. Reverse Oddquains, written with reverse syllable count 1-7-5-3-1, Mirror Oddquain, written in 2 cinquains, syllable count 1-3-5-7-1 1-7-5-3-1. Oddquain Butterflies - merges the 2 stanzas of the mirror cinquain by deleting the 1st line of the second stanza, syllables 1-3-5-7-1-7-5-3-1. They Keep Coming Bills, reminders that nothing's free. Services rendered, dollars owed, Pay! ~~jvg Parallelogram de Crystalline is an invented verse form with a thematic focus. The subject is a lover and the lover should be described through images of nature. It was introduced by Karan Naidu. The elements of the Parallelogram de Crystalline are: a poem in 12 lines, made up of 4 tercets. syllabic 3-6-9 syllables per line for each tercet. unrhymed. themed, lover described by images from nature. Him Bay stallion, nostrils flared, sleek muscles unrestrained, head tossing, hooves prancing. Thundering while protecting his own from predators, he leads to safety. Fast and strong he travels over land he deems his own. Courage unquestioned. Beautiful, frightening, exciting. Eyes focused and wild, choosing one. ~~Judi Van Gorder Puente (Spanish-puente=bridge) is a thematic verse with a specific yet discretionary frame. It is written in 2 equal yet contrasting parts with a single line bridging the two parallels. It was introduced by James Rasmusson inspired by the anthology, A Poetry Bridge to All Nations by Connie Marcum Wong and by the actions of his step-daughter Mira Conklin who "walked the migrant trail in Mexico with 12 other Americans 'to explore the root causes of northward migration'". The elements of the Puente are: isostrophic, written in 2 strophes with the same frame at the discretion of the poet and "bridged" by a single line that carries the theme of the poem. The separate strophes should be parallels to one another. meter and rhyme at the discretion of the poet. The Quadrilew is an invented verse form with alternating syllabic patterns and a tumbling refrain. Introduced by C.V.G.Lewis at Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Quadrilew are: is a poem in 16 lines made up of 4 quatrains. syllabic, alternating stanzas of 5-6-5-6 6-5-6-5 5-6-5-6 6-5-6-5 or the opposite 6-5-6-5 5-6-5-6 etc. The lines of the first stanza are repeated as a tumbling refrain positioned in the first line of subsequent stanzas. L2 repeated as L5, L3 is repeated as L9, and L4 is repeated as L13. rhymed rhyme scheme aB1AB2> B1cbc Adad B2ebe. lower case = rhyme; upper case = refrain. RemyLa Rhyme is a stanzaic chain form. It was introduced by Laura Lamarca and named for her daughter. The elements of the RemyLa Rhyme are: stanzaic, written in 3 or more quatrains. syllabic, 8-10-12-8 syllables per line in each quatrain. rhymed, axxa bxxb cxxc dxxd etc. - x being unrhymed. a stanzaic Chain Verse, the last word of each stanza is the first word of the next stanza creating a linking effect. Septolet is the name of 2 different invented forms. One found at Shadow Poetry and one found at Mrs. Reese's Elementary. Both are written in 7 lines. The elements of the Septolet found at Shadow Poetry are: a poem in 7 lines broken into 2 strophes complimenting one another to complete an image. Written in 14 words. Let the Games Begin by Judi Van Gorder animals without clothes by Geoffrey Le Voguer with clothes chasing unfledged tails oblivious to stars, not knowing yet their place. depression by Tammi aka Moonqueen falling through a hole without bottom i no longer distinguish between solace and horror The elements of the Septolet found at Mrs. Reese's Elementary are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. syllabic 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 per line. zi single syllable word character of written Chinese verse. -- judi van gorder Staccato an invented stanzaic form which attempts to emulate the musical staccato rhythm with emphatic two syllable refrains inserted in L3 and L6 of each stanza. Jan Turner created a form with internal rhyme and variable meter. The elements of the Staccato are: stanzaic, written in 2 or more sixains. metric, iambic, L1,L2,L5,L6 are pentameter, L3 and L4 are tetrameter. rhymed aabbcc ddeeff gghhii. Internal rhyme occurs between L1 and L2 midway in the lines. written with an emphatic, two syllable refrain repeated twice at the beginning of L3 and once at the beginning of L6 of each stanza. Swap Quatrain is an invented stanzaic form that repeats L1 in inverted sytax as a refrain in L4 of the same stanza. Created by Lorraine M Kanter. The elements of the Swap Quatrain are: stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains. metered at the discretion of the poet. However the lines must be long enough to create 2 hemistiches written with 2 phrases of L1 of each stanza inverted and repeated as L4 in a refrain. rhymed aabb ccdd Switching phrases, verse form invented. Very simple device presented becomes titled poetic basis. Verse form invented, switching phrases. ~~jvg Synchronicity is an invented verse form written in the first person revealing accidental yet seemingly synchronized events. Created by Debra Gundy who suggests there be a pivot or twist in the last quarter of the poem. Synchronicity is the simultaneous occurence of events which appear meaningfully related but have no discoverable causal connection. The elements of the Synchronicity are: stanzaic, written 4 or more tercets. syllabic, 8-8-2 syllables per line of each tercet. unrhymed. written in the first person describing simultaneous events that appear to be connected but could simply be coincidental. written with a pivot or twist occurring at the last quarter of the poem. The Tableau is an invented stanzaic form that paints a single image in keeping with the name of the form, tableau meaning picture. Created by Emily Romano who suggests the word "tableau" be included in the title. The elements of the Tableau are: stanzaic, written in any number of sixains. syllabic, 5 syllable lines. rhyme at the discretion of the poet. written describing a single image. written with a title that includes the word "tableau". Cease Fire in Syria Trophy by Judi Van Gorder Stepping over bricks rescuers pick through rubble and debris. Body found face down, her blood soaked hijab flutters in the breeze. A child's tear streaked face peeks from behind wall wide eyed in terror. Urgent searchers comb wreckage for victims of last night's airstrike. ~~Judi Van Gorder Tri-fall is an invented verse form that groups lines and rhyme in threes. Created by Jan Turner who suggest little or no punctuation be used. The elements of the Tri-fall are: a poem in 18 lines made up of 3 sixains. syllabic, 6-3-8-6-3-8 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme abcabc defdef ghighi. written with little or no punctuation. The Trilonnet is a 14 line invented verse form that doesn't claim to be a sonnet. Created by Shelley A Cephas who offers two options in both meter and rhyme scheme. The elements of the Trilonnet are: a 14 line poem made up of 4 tercets followed by a rhymed couplet. metered, iambic, either pentameter (10 syllables) or tetrameter (8 syllables). rhymed abc abc abc abc dd or abc cba abc cba dd. Dancing With Roses by Judi Van Gorder Trijan Refrain, another invented form created by and named for Jan Turner and the recommended number of stanzas within the structure. It was found at Shadow Poetry . The elements of the Trijan Refrain are: stanzaic, written in any number of 9-line stanzas (3 are recommended). syllabic, 8-6-8-6-8-8-4-4-8. rhymed, AbabccDDc AeaeffGGf AhahiiJJi composed with a refrain within the stanza, the first 4 syllables of L5 are repeated as a refrain in L7 and L8. written a refrain between stanzas, L1 of the first stanza repeated as L1 of each subsequent stanza. There is a variation in which L1 is not repeated in the subsequent stanzas, in that scenario the rhyme scheme is ababccDDc efefggHHg ijijkkLLk. Sweet Destiny by Jan Turner (stanza 1) Oh destiny, sweet destiny, Come silent in the night, And teach my spirit how to see Within tomorrow's light. I know I'll strive to do what's best For humankind's eternal quest. . . I know I'll strive I know I'll strive Oh destiny to meet the test. Trinet is an invented stanzaic form that is measured in words rather than syllables or metric feet. Created by zion, the poem should be centered on the page. The elements of the Trinet are: stanzaic written in any number of septets (3 are recommended) measured in words, 2-2-6-6-2-2-2 word in each line. unrhymed. centered on the page to appear as crosses. The Triquain is one of 2 different forms, one found in Viola Berg's Pathways for a Poet, 1977 and the other found at Shadow Poetry which appears to have been created about 25 years later by Shelly Cephas. The form as described in Berg's book is a syllabic tristich and the form at Shadow Poetry is a syllabic heptastich. The elements of the Triquain at Shadow Poetry are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. syllabic, 3-6-9-12-9-6-3 syllables per line. rhymed at the discretion of the poet. can be written in variation: Triquain chain of 2 to 4 triquains. A stanzaic chain is always written with the last word of each stanza repeated as the first word of the next stanza. Triquain Crown in 5 stand alone linked stanzas (A crown is always written with the last line of each stanza repeated as the first line of the next stanza. Triquain swirl joining the stanzas and eliminating the beginning 3 syllable line of each subsequent stanza. 3-6-9-11-9-6-3-6-9-12-9-6-3 etc. snowman by Geoffrey Le Voguer (a triquain swirl) all of my careful efforts in vain buttons up front to the coal dark eyes and toper's nose with seasonal smile-- there he stood a lone titan of his ilk-- until the school bell rang early- -then down camea hullabaloo horde pelting at all in their way-- until they saw him and couldn't contain their glee-- and I swear we both shared such a baleful look as snowballing children tore him down The Triquatrain is an invented stanzaic form, obviously written in quatrains. The form, created by Robert L Huntsman, has an added feature of internal rhyme. The elements of the Triquatrain are: written in any number of quatrains. metered at the discretion of the poet. rhymed, employing internal rhyme in L1 and L3 of each quatrain, the rhyme scheme is (a-a)b(c-c)b (d-d)e(f-f)e etc. The Triquint is an invented verse form that repeats a refrain in L3 and L4 of each stanza. Created by Sylvia A Feeley, the form is name for the 3 cinquains that make up the poem. The elements of the Triquint are: a poem in 15 lines made up of 3 cinquains. syllabic, 9-7-5-3-1 syllables per line. rhymed, turned only 2 rhymes, rhyme scheme aaA1A2b aaA1A2b aaA1A2b. written with a refrain, repeating L3 and L4 of the first stanza in the same position of the 2nd and 3rd stanzas. Trois-par-Huit is an invented verse form named for its number of lines and stanzas, three by eight. Created by Lorraine M. Kanter. It could have been influenced by the French traditional form, Hutain. The elements of the Trois-par-Huit are: an octastich, a poem in 8 lines made up of either 2 tercets followed by a couplet or a tercet, a couplet, a tercet, in that order. syllabic, 3-6-9-12-12-9-6-3 regardless of stanza arrangement. rhymed, aab bbc dd or aab bb ccc. last line acts as a summary. centered on the page. Strangled at the Pump by Judi Van Gorder Trolaan is an invented stanzaic form that uses the ancient Welsh technique cymeriad that begins each line of a stanza with the same consonant and takes it a step further beginning each subsequent quatrain with the 2nd letter of the 1st word of the previous quatrain to begin each line. Created by Valerie Peterson Brown, the quatrains have a specific rhyme scheme but the meter is at the discretion of the poet. The elements of the Trolaan are: stanzaic, written in 4 quatrains. metered at the discretion of the poet. alternate rhymed abab cdcd efef ghgh. written with cymeriad, the first letter of each line in each quatrain is the same, although this form takes it a step further and in each subsequent quatrain the repeated beginning letter changes. The 2nd stanza begins with the 2nd letter of the first word of the poem, the 3rd stanza begins with the 2nd letter of the first word of the 2nd stanza, the 4th stanza begins with the 2nd letter of the first word of the 3rd stanza etc. Jungle Tale by Judi Van Gorder Vers Beaucoup French-many rhymes) is an invented stanzaic form that is riddled with rhyme. Created by Curt Mongold who suggest the lines within the quatrains be enjambed. The elements of the Vers Beaucoup are: stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains. metered at the discretion of the poet. rhymed, including multiple internal rhyme sounds. Rhyme scheme (a-a-a)(a-b-b)(b-c-c)(c-d-d) (e-e-e)(e-f-f)(f-g-g)(g-h-h) etc. Wrapped Refrain is an invented stanzaic form created by Jan Turner brings each stanza full circle by repeated the first 4 syllables of the stanza as the last 4 syllables of the stanza reminiscent of the French rentrament, repeating the first phrase of the stanza as a the last phrase of the stanza. The elements of the Wrapped Refrain are: stanzaic, written in any number of sixains or octaves. syllabic, 8-8-8-8-12-12 syllables per lines when written in sixains, 14-14-8-8-8-8-14-14 syllables per line when written in octaves. rhymed, aabbcc ddeeff etc. when written in sixains and aabbccdd eeffgghh etc when written in octaves. written with each sixain repeating the first 4 syllables of L1 as the last 4 syllables of L6 or each octave repeating the first 10 syllables of L1 as the last 10 syllables of L8. Since You've Gone by Judi Van Gorder Happy Holidays by Judi Van Gorder ZaniLa Rhyme is an invented stanzaic form created by Laura Lamarca and employs internal rhyme. The elements of the ZaniLa Rhyme are: stanzaic, written in no less than 3 quatrains. syllabic, 9-7-9-9 syllables per line. rhymed, xa(b-B)a xc(b-B)c xd(b-B)d etc. written with L3 of the first stanza repeated as a refrain in L3 of each subsequent stanza.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Cherita (pronounced CHAIR-rita) is a short verse that tells a story. It was created by ai li, UK poet and artist. Cherita is a Malay word for story or tale. It was found at Larry Kimmel.Tripod.com The elements of the Cherita are: a narrative, it should tell a story hexastich, a 6 line poem made up of 3 separate stanzas. A single line, a couplet and a tercet. syllabic without specific syllables per line. unrhymed. a poem that can be written by 1, 2 or 3 poets. Stray border crossing by Judi Van Gorder on a courtyard bench scruffy black stray invites a friendly hand bloody sore oozes gore stays the stroke evokes a hiss ~~ Judi Van Gorder

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Poetry Styles is a website that briefly explains the how-to of many classic verse forms and includes some invented forms that appear to have originated within its community of poets, especially the webmaster Christina Jussaume. Several of Christina's invented forms have some spiritual feature. I have found some of these forms on other sites. I also include them here. The Acronet is an invented verse form that appears to be a combination of an Acrostic and a Nonet, created by Patricia A Farnswort-Simpson in 2008. The elements of the Acronet are: a poem in 18 lines made up of 2 nine-line stanzas. syllabic, 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 syllables per line. rhymed at the discretion of the poet. an acrostic, the first letter of each line when read vertically spells out a phrase. The American 767 is an invented verse form that requires a "bug" (I am assuming bug refers to an insect rather than a listening devise) be named within the frame of the poem. It was created by Dennis L. Dean. The elements of the American 767 are: a tristich, a poem in 3 lines. syllabic, 7-6-7 syllables per line. unrhymed. written with the name of a "bug" in it. Queen Bee by Judi Van Gorder Summer’s Eve by Judi Van Gorder Early Spring the Bumblebee buzzes round and about her preference blue blossoms. The Aquarian is a stanzaic form which is pretty simplistic. It was created by A Marie Mazz. The elements of the Aquarian are: stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains. syllabic, 2-4-6-2 syllables per line. unrhymed. Thanks for the Rain by Judi Van Gorder Burned by Judi Van Gorder Notice! An agent burned, unprotected, alone, a threat. The Bev-A-Lyn Rhyme is an invented syllabic form created by Chazz Combs. The elements of the Bev-A-Lyn Rhyme are: a poem in 12 lines made up of 3 triplets each followed by a single line. syllabic, 5-7-9 2 14-14-11 2 9-7-5 2 syllables per line. rhymed, aaa x bbb x ccc x - x being unrhymed. The Brady's Touch is an invented verse form with a strict syllabic pattern, created by Maryann Merriweather-Travis. The elements of the Brady's Touch are: a decastich, made up of 2 quintains. syllabic, 9-9-8-8-2 9-9-8-8-2. rhymed, rhyme scheme abxcd abxcd. x being unrhymed. And It Keeps On Coming by Judi Van Gorder Silken Thread by Judi Van Gorder The Candlelight is an invented verse form that may have been meant as a shape poem, although I can't visualize a candle in this frame. It was introduced by Christina Jussaume. The elements of the Candlelight are: a poem in 17 lines. syllabic, 5-5-5-4-4-3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-7 syllables per line, centered on the page. rhymed aabbccxxxxxxxxxxxx x being unrhymed. Chazz Effect is an invented verse form emphasizing one single syllable word by including that word in each line of the poem. Introduced by Chazz Combs. The elements of the Chazz Effect are: a poem in 8 lines. syllabic, 14-10-9-7-5-3-2-2-1 syllables per line. rhymed, aabbccddx x being unrhymed and the focus word of the poem. Christina's View is an Acrostic invented verse in the frame of 5 classic triplets. It was introduced by Christina Jussaume who recommends the first letter of the first six lines spell CHRIST, spelling out any word or phrase works too. The elements of Christina's View are: stanzaic, written in any number of triplets. syllabic, all lines are 8 syllables. rhymed, aaa bbb ccc etc. an acrostic, it is recommended the first letter of the first six lines spell out CHRIST. Converse in Couplets is an invented stanzaic form that emulates a Conversation Poem or dialogue in rhymed couplets. John Henson introduced this form at Poetry Styles. This could fall under the genre of a French Débat or Eclogue Débat with a prescribed stanzaic form. Shadow Poetry.com expands this form shortening the name to Con-Verse to change the syllabic count of the couplets. The elements of Converse in Couplets are: stanzaic, written in any number of couplets. syllabic, all lines are 11 syllables. At ShadowPoetry.com's Con-Verse syllable count is changed to 7-7 8-8 9-9 10-10 11-11 and is attributed to Connie Marcum Wong. rhymed, aa bb cc dd ee. a conversation between at least 2 voices. The Age Old Story by Judi Van Gorder I got caught in the hall without a hall-pass, my practice ran late, then I ran out of gas You were told before to be home by seven and no excuses pave the road to heaven. I would have called but you do not understand things didn't play out the way that I planned. It's the third time this week that you've come home late. You could be dead in a ditch while I fret and wait. Daveda's Charm a verse form invented by Christina R Jussaume in March 2008 as a tribute to her "special poet friend, Daveda Gruber". She requests the content be uplifting and begins with the letters P R E C I O U S L A D Y. The elements of Daveda's Charm are: a quatorzain, a poem in 14 lines. Made up of a single line with the letters P R E C I O U S L A D Y followed by an octave and a quintain. an acrostic the octave and quintain spell out, Daveda's Charm. syllabic, lines are 8 syllables each. rhymed at the poet's discretion. Disambiguation invented by Patricia Ann Farnsworth-Simpson in honor of 9-11. The first challenge of the form is to find a 14 letter word to be used as an acrostic, and the interesting twist is to focus the content on "not letting the devil win". The elements of Disambiguation are: an acrostic in 14 lines, the first letter of each line spell out the chosen 14 line word. syllabic, lines alternate, 9 and 11 syllables rhymed couplets, rhyme scheme aabbccddeeffgg content focus, "not letting the devil win". Distorted Diablo is an invented verse form that plays with the biblical devil's number 666 and distorts by flipping the middle number upside down to get 696. Created by Pat Simpson, I think the content is meant to follow the theme of the numbers. The elements of the Distorted Diablo are: stanzaic, a sixain, a line stanza, a sixain, in that order. syllabic, both sixains are written with 6 syllables per line and the 9 line stanza is written with 9 syllables per line. rhymed at the discretion of the poet. Eleventh Power is an invented stanzaic form introduced by Christina Jussaume who requests the subject be uplifting. The elements of the Eleventh Power are: stanzaic, written in any number of 11 line stanzas. syllabic, 11 syllables each. rhymed, rhyme scheme abababccddd or ababababccc. Ten Plus One More by Judi Van Gorder The Lilibonelle is an invented verse form found on the internet at Poetry Styles and a couple of other sites. The first line of the poem is repeated as the last line of the poem and subsequent lines of the first stanza in sequence become the first line of each following stanza. The elements of the Lilibonelle are: a poem in 16 lines, made up of 4 quatrains. metered at the discretion of the poet. composed with L1 repeated as L16 and the subsequent lines of the first stanza establishing the first line of each following stanza in sequence. L2 repeated as L5, L3 repeated as L11 and L4 repeated as L13. rhymed AB1CB2 B1dxd Cexe B2axA. x being unrhymed. The Octaz Rhyme is a simple invented verse form introduced by Chazz Combs. The defining feature of this form is the unique syllable count of the lines. The elements of the Octaz Rhyme are: an octastich, a poem in 8 lines. syllabic, 3-5-8-10-7-5-4-2 syllables per line. rhymed, abbccdda. centered on the page. The Pirouette is an invented verse form on which I could find no information on its origin or intent. The elements of the Pirouette are: a decastich, a poem in 10 lines. syllabic, 6 syllables per line. L5 is repeated in L6. unrhymed, although I imagine, rhyme could be at the discretion of the poet. Pirouette Ballerina on point dances with swanlike grace, disciplined artistry, a moment of kindling, spinning round and around. Spinning round and around the earth circles the sun within designed constraint while we stumble, untrained, through the spiral of time. ~~Judi Van Gorder The Plane 9/11 is an invented form created by John W Henson. Obviously, it is meant as a memorial to September 11, 2001, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and hijacking of Flight 93. The elements of the Plane 9/11 are: stanzaic, written with a 9 line stanza, a tercet, a 9 line stanza, and a single line, in that order. syllabic, 1-1-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 11-11-11 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1 11, rhymed, abbccddee ffg hhiijjkka g. Spirit's Vessel is a variation of the Acrostic. The creator Christina R Jussaume requests the content of the form be spiritual and uplifting. The elements of the Spirit's Vessel are: a poem in 18 lines, made up of 3 sixains. metered at the discretion of the poet. rhymed at the discretion of the poet. written with the letters of VESSEL OF OUR (6 letter word of the poet's choice) beginning the sequential lines of the poem. The Tigerjade is an invented stanzaic form introduced by Jacqueline Sturge. In researching the name, I found Tiger Jade the name of a freighter in the Bengal Tiger line. The name could also refer to jewelry, a jade tiger. The elements of the Tigerjade are: stanzaic, written in any number of octaves. syllabic, 3-3-12-12-12-12-3-3 syllables per line. rhymed, aabbccdd eeffgghh etc. What's Cooking?Comfort foodOh so goodEasy to prepare, one pot, one pan, sure to pleaseMemories in each bite, the meal goes down with ease.Spaghetti, homemade chicken soup, tomale pie,pasties, mac and cheese, so yummy you'll want to cry.Grandma, Mom,spiced Love Bomb. ~~Judi Van Gorder Tina's ZigZag Rhyme is an invented verse form with unusual placement of rhymed words. It was introduced by Christina Jussaume who requests the content be uplifting or spiritual. The elements of Tina's ZigZag Rhyme are: stanzaic, a combination of a sestet, a couplet refrain, a quatrain, a couplet refrain, and a quatrain, in that order. Any number of couplets and quatrains may be continued as long as they alternate. syllabic, 8 syllables per line. composed with a refrain, L1 & L2 are repeated as a couplet refrain between stanzas. rhymed in couplets but the placement of the rhyme is a little different. L1&L2 which are also the couplet refrain between stanzas is head rhymed. L3&L4 and subsequently the first 2 lines of each quatrain are rhymed in the middle of the line and L5&L6 are end-rhymed along with the subsequent last 2 lines of the quatrain. x x x x x x x A x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x c A x x x x x x x A x x x x x x x x x x x d x x x x x x d x x x x x x x x x x x e x x x x x x x e A x x x x x x x A x x x x x x x Triname Acrostic is a combination Compound Acrostic and a Mesostich. It was introduced by Patricia A Farnsworth-Simpson. The title should be the same as the word spelled in the left margin. The elements of the Triname are: strophic, the number of lines written at the discretion of the poet. metered at the poet's discretion. unrhymed. composed with words spelled out by the first letter at left margin, the center and the right margin of the poem. Sweet Kitty Sx xx Kxx xP Wxx xI xxU Ex T xxxR E xxxTxx xR Tx Y xxxS The Whitney is a simple invented verse form introduced by Betty Ann Whitney. The elements of the Whitney are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. syllabic, 3-4-3-4-3-4-7 syllables per line. unrhymed. Tea Time Afternoon at three o'clock energy is at a low. Spot of tea lifts my spirits, puts me back into action. ~~Judi Van Gorder Whitney Frame by Judi Van Gorder

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Spring Blossoms A sign of spring beginnings, delicate white with powder pink veins, petals join at the center with spider legs, the gentle tangy sweet aroma of apples complete the vision that floats like sea foam upon limbs seemingly barren only a month ago. Trees neatly lined side by side bloom in unison. --Judi Van Gorder Visual or Shape Verse All written verse is visual, the line length, stanzaic selection, capitalization etc. visually all influence the reader. But the genre of Visual or Shape Verse is a deliberate attempt by the poet to communicate to the reader through the image presented by the placement of the words on the page as well as through the meaning of the words. Visual poetry has been around almost as far back as writing itself. There have been various approaches to this genre. The following are a few of the more notable: Altar Verse is the Welsh version of Pattern Poetry; it is a visual poem in which the shape outlined by the words on the page conveys the message of the content. The outline should be recognizable to the reader. It is important that the object outlined is central to the content. The frame, meter and rhyme are at the discretion of the poet. Altar Verse is named for the Welsh poet George Herbert's (1593-1633) Altar in which the opening poem forms the shape of a church altar. It also takes the shape of the capital letter I, as in the first person singular. Although this is a visual verse, it can be read aloud and the content understood without the visual. Altar by George Herbert A broken A L T A R, Lord, thy servant rears, Made of a heart, and cemented with tears, Whose parts are as thy hand did frame; No workman's tool hath touched the same. A H E A R T alone Is such a stone, As nothing but Thy pow'r doth cut. Wherefore each part Of my hard heart Meets in this frame, To praise thy name. That if I chance to hold my peace, These stones to praise thee may not cease. O let thy blessed S A C R I F I C E be mine And sanctify this A L T A R to be thine. The Beacon of Hope is an invented verse form created by Christina Jussaume and found at Poetry Styles that is meant take the visual shape of a lighthouse. The subject should be uplifting, spiritual in nature. The elements of the Beacon of Hope are: a poem in 21 lines made up of a sestet, a tercet followed by 3 quatrains in that order and all without stanza break. syllabic, L1-L6 are 6 syllables each, L7-L9 are 12 syllables each and L13 - L21 are 8 syllables each. centered on the page. rhymed at the poet's discretion. Butterflies are shape poems. I am embarrassed to admit I found a few links to different Butterfly verse forms but when I went back to look more closely I keep getting an error. So although there is a Butterfly Septet and a Butterfly Kimo somewhere out there, right now I can't give you any details. I was able to find a different site for the Butterfly Cinquain however. Here it is: Butterfly Cinquain isn't a cinquain at all:it is a nonostich (9 lines)and uses the syllable count of the Crapsey Cinquain and then reverses it, therefore the misnomer. The elements of the Butterfly Cinquain are: 9 line poem. syllabic, 2-4-6-8-2-8-6-4-2 syllables per line. unrhymed. fate by Geoffrey Le Voguer fate's a bloke you nod at in the pub who's too old to change yet still too young to die and seems to have the knack of weaving words into sack-cloth shirts that could scratch a soul to death The elements of the Oddquain Butterfly found at Shadow Poetry are: merges the 2 stanzas of the Mirror Cinquain by deleting the 1st line of the second stanza. syllabic, 1-3-5-7-1-7-5-3-1. A Calligramme is a visual verse that almost draws a picture with the words placed on the page. It is named for Swiss poet, Guillaume Apollinaire's Calligrames (1918). The Calligrame can also be referred to as an The Ideogramme. It is visual verse that "relies heavily on typographical elements, design, and layout." Kaleidoscope The arrangement of typed words act a visual statement of the content. It is a kind of middle ground between the ancient Pattern Poems and the modern Concrete poem. It is figurative, creating recognizable symbols such as the heart, a fountain, the Eiffel Tower etc. This is in contrast with Concrete poetry which can be more abstract. You can see some of Apollinaire's Calligrames here. Circlet is a shape poem outlining a circle. It was created by Bena Parks and was found in Pathways for the Poet by Viola Berg 1977. The elements of the Circlet are: a decastich, a 10 line poem made up of 2 cinquains. syllabic, 2-4-6-8-10 10-8-6-4-2 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme Abcde edcbA. composed with L1 repeated as L10. Concrete Poetry from the 1950s and 1960 is Visual Verse that attempts to make each shape an original image of the poem's theme. The shapes are often abstract and should be unique to the particular piece. It was prominent in Swiss and Brazilian poetry, and a host of European poets joined the movement and eventually found its way to the US where poets such as Rosenthal, John Hollander and May Swenson brought it to a more mainstream form. Every source I researched makes note that the poem does not necessarily retain its meaning when read aloud. The physical shape provides what the words lack and allows the poet to ignore standard syntax and sequencing. Remove the shape and you could destroy the poem. It is more an immediate experience of art like seeing a painting than the seemingly slower experience of art as a reader of literature. This is in contrast with other Visual verses such as Pattern Verse. Christ-in-a-Rhyme is an invented verse form created and copyrighted by Christina Jussaume in her book My Walk with Jesus, 2006 which I found at Shadow Poetry. It is a shape poem that forms a cross when the poem is centered on the page. The verse was created in honor of Jussaume's mother and should carry a spiritual theme. The elements of the Christ-in-a-Rhyme are: stanzaic, written in 5 triplets. syllabic, stanzas written in 8-14-7-5-5 syllables. rhymed, triplets are monorhymed, aaa bbb ccc ddd eee. Spaced by using &****& after each triplet if needed. Cyclus is shape poem found in Pathways for a Poet, it attempts to create a cycling pattern by syllable count. It is attributed to Marvin Davis Winsett. The elements of the Cyclus are: a 12 line poem. accentual syllabic, L1, L6, L7 and L12 iambic monometer, L2, L5, L7 and L11 are iambic dimeter and L3, L4, L9 and L9 are iambic trimeter. Maybe an easier way to follow would be syllable count per line, 2-4-6-6-4-2-2-4-6-6-4-2 each in an iambic pattern. rhymed, x x a x x B x x a x x B. x being unrhymed, composed with a refrain, L6 repeated as L12 Flight of the Mind by Judi Van Gorder Figure Poem is a poem shaped like the image it describes. Hourglass Verse is a shape poem which when centered on the page, the lines should form an hourglass. A popular exercise with American teachers in the 60's. The elements of the Hourglass are: a heptastich, a 7 line poem. syllabic, 4-3-2-1-2-3-4 unrhymed. centered on the page Incubation It flew away these last months at home safe distanced pandemic shelter and live ~~jvg The Joybell is one more shape verse from Pathways for a Poet. The lines should create the shape of a bell when centered on the page. The elements of the Joybell are: a hexastich, a poem in 6 lines syllabic, 1-2-2-2-4-4 unrhymed, centered on the page joy wells up from deep down low and overflows to touch others. ~~jvg Ring the Bell Sass Kinetic Type Verse creates a video with sight and sound for the written word. Unfortunately I am not computer savy enough to give you step by step instructions on how to create it, but I can provide you with an example and hopefully once given the concept, you may have the knowledge to execute. Good Luck. The Lanterne is a shape poem, centered on the page to resemble the shape of a Japanese lantern. It originated as a nature poem, also called "shaped whimsy", created by 20th century American Lloyd F. Merrell and described in Pathways for a Poet. The foundation of the shape is similar to the Crapsey Cinquain but with fewer syllables per line. The verse form can be found on line at Instant Poems for Kids. It can also be found, spelled Lanturne, at Shadow Poetry. This can also be written in a chain. As with most chained verse since the Ancient Greek Echo Verse, the first word of the last line of the previous stanza becomes the first word of the next stanza. The elements of the Lanterne are: a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines. syllabic, 1-2-3-4-1 syllables per line. is composed with no punctuation and no rhyme, each end-word should be strong. centered on the page. Since this is a concrete or shape poem, the length of the word on the page factors into the equation, syllable count is not enough to determine the selection. title optional. Spring new growth strong thistles crowd out flowers weeds -- jvg Mushroom Cloud The Mushroom Cloud Is an invented visual form created by Bob Baker to reflect a visual dimension to his anti-war poem. To stay true to the spirit of the form, content and visual should merge. The elements of the Mushroom Cloud are: a poem in 14 lines Centered. Syllabic with syllable count 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3 per line Rhyme: ABCCCBADEFDEFG abcccbadefdefx. X being unrhymed Pattern Poetry, originally called Technopaegnia and now sometimes called Figure Poetry is the oldest of the visual verse forms. The form is thought to possibly date back to Crete 1700 B.C. Recognizable shapes, usually of natural objects were created visually by arranging letters, words and lines of verse. The shape enhances and contributes to the meaning of the poem. However the meaning of the words is not diminished if read aloud. In classical Greek literature Meleager of Gadar's anthology of technopaegnia included a famous piece by Simias of Rhodes which was a poem that appeard in the shape of an egg. Not only was itshaped like an egg but it had to be read in an egg-like order; the last verse was to be savored after the first and then the second and the second last, until the center was finally reached. Some other classical poets who used the genre were Theocritus, Vestianus and Optatianus. Optatianus is credited as the inspiration for the poem, In Praise of the Holy Cross by Hrabanus Maurus (c784-856), Archbishop of Mainz, a Carolingian poet and theologian, which was the first printed pattern poem published in 1503. During the Renaissance, Fortunius Licetus (1577-1654), an Italian humanist, who wrote a book on hieroglyphics edited several volumes on the classical writers of technopaegnia. Pictorial is an invented form found at Shadow Poetry and introduced by Emily Romano, the shape of which is like descending stairs. The elementsof the Pictorial are: written in 3 vertical lines of 5 words or less per line. composed with the vertical lines step progressed downward. rhymed, rhyme scheme may be internal or end rhyme and pattern at the discretion of the poet. xxx-------------------------xxx-------------------------xxx ---xxx-------------------------xxx-------------------------xxx ------ xxx-------------------------xxx-------------------------xxx ----------xxx-------------------------xxx-------------------------xxx Star Sevlin is an invented shape poem that is supposed to form a star when centered on the page. It is found in Pathways for the Poet by Viola Berg 1977 and was created by Lilliann Mathilda Svenson. The elements of the Star Sevlin are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. iambic syllabic, iambic 4-6-8-6-8-6-4 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbcaca. centered on the page. Flight the milky way spreads across the heavens stardust scattered warp speed driven in space to shine and blend while some will die light-years away stars for miles with no end on holiday ~jvg Teacup Dictionary is an invented form created by Rose Jones in 2009 that employs diminishing syllables to create a poem and the shape of a teacup. The elements of the Teacup Dictionary are: Select a multi-syllable word from the dictionary to be your Title. The poem will have the same number of lines and the title word. Each line will be a single word with one less syllable than the line before. The last line will summarize the poem in the same number of syllables as the title word. Centered on the page to form the shape of a teacup. Mystification bewilderment befuddled dazzled dazed Love leaves us that way. ~~jvg Tree of Life is an invented verse form written in the shape of a tree. Found at Poetry Styles and created by Christina Jusaumme who requests the subject of the poem be uplifting. The elements of the Tree of Life are: a poem in 19 lines. syllabic, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-4-4-4-4-4-4. unrhymed. centered on the page. The Trianglet is an invented shape poem found in Berg's Pathways for the Poet. It forms the shape of a triangle and was created by Mina M Sutherland. The elements of the trianglet are: a decastich, a poem in 10 lines. syllabic, 1-2-3-4-5-5-4-3-2-1 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme AbcxddxcbA composed with the 1st word repeated as the last word. Waltz Wave is a verse form found at Poet Freak that might be called the shape of the waltz. It has been suggested the tone be soothing. The elements of the Waltz Wave are: a poem in 19 lines. syllabic, 1-2-1-2-3-2-1-2-3-4-3-2-1-2-3-2-1-2-1 syllables per line. unrhymed. composed with a soothing tone. Steven Hawking and Me by Geoffrey Le Voguer watch sunlight fade, gutter, and the moon vanish. stars like krill in baleen filters of an endless ocean's night consumed, and believe that it was all for you The Wheelchair Angel Style is a poem that attempts to create sillouette shape of a man in a wheelchair. Found at Poetry Styles this invented verse form was introduced by Pat Simpson to honor poet, Michael L. Schuh and who suggests the content include reference to a wheelchair. It was found at Poetry Styles. The elements of the Wheelchair Angel Style are: a poem in 25 lines. syllabic, 2-2-3-4-3-2-1-3 5-8-8-8-10-8-8-8-8-8-8 4-4-6-4-4 10. L20 thru L24 are split, to create the illusion of wheels. x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x ------- x x x x ------- x x x x x ----- x x x x x ------- x x x x ------- x x x x x x x x x x x x Zany Zig Zag Five is an invented form that seems a little "zany". Created by Patricia Ann Farnsworth-Simpson who suggests that the words zig zag appear in the poem. (This is one thing all sources agree on.) I have been unable to find the original poem or description of the style by Ms. Farnsworth=Simpson but have found vague or conflicting information by others on various poetry sites, I offer a hodge podge of everything I've found. The elements of the Zany Zig Zag Five are: strophic, any number of lines may be written or a verse form in 5 lines. (I've found poems both ways.) syllabic, 5 syllables per line rhyme is not mentioned in one source, one source say the poem must be rhymed, but no specific pattern is described. Both poems I've found are rhymed with differing rhyme patterns so can only assume rhymed at discretion of poet. lines aligned in a zig zag pattern. Since "zany" is used in the title of this form, I would think the pattern of zig zag should be erratic rather than uniform although both poems carried a uniform pattern. x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Writing.com is a site that took me years to master. It is all about writing, novels, poetry, short stories, whatever. Writers may post their work and blogs and it appears massive. I originally found it difficult to maneuver through the maze, I have since figured the site out. In order to take advantage of all of its features it costs money. There is limited access for free. However it is loaded with prompts, contests and challenges that can be fun and informative. Skill ranges from beginner to professional writers. Unfortunately at this point in my research there isn't much left that I haven't already researched and posted. However there are some original invented forms at WCD and also forms used from obscure sites that have been reproduced here. Dave Schneider, the leader of one of the many forums available, Poet's Place Café, challenges poets to use a "tool of the trade" on Mondays and write a poem in the "Form of the Week" on Thursdays. So here is the latest of my finds with a whole lot of assistance from Dave. The 160 is a writing exercise more than a poetic technique or form. I was excited to find a Dutch connection to poetic form and apparently this is an exercise used in Dutch poetry workshops. I don't know how helpful this would be in honing our skills as poets but it is something new. The exercise simply asks that you write a poem in 160 characters including space and punctuation. That means counting each letter of each word. Obviously it will be short. Example by Bianca Wings by Judi Van Gorder The Argonelles is an invented stanzaic form that I have been unable to find the source. There are 2 interpretations of the frame, one demonstrated at WCD by Neva aka Prosperous Snow as a simple syllabic rhymed quintain. The other version which I believe is the older one is found at Rainbow Communications and it uses two refrains. The elements of the Argonelles as demonstrated at WCD are: stanzaic, written in any number of quintains. (5 line stanzas) syllabic, syllables per line are 2-6-8-8-6 rhymed, rhyme scheme xabba xcddc xeffe x being unrhymed The Chase is On by Judi Van Gorder Fall TV by Judi Van Gorder The elements of the Argonelles as demonstrated by Linda Vernall Smith at Rainbow Communications are: stanzaic, written in any number of quintains. syllabic, syllables per line are 2-6-8-8-6 rhymed, rhyme scheme ABccB ADeeD AFggF etc The first line of each stanza is a repeated refrain from L1 of the poem. L5 repeats L2 of each stanza but is not carried over into the next stanza. Today's Molly Adventure by Judi Van Gorder Garden Lace is an invented form created by Roseille at WDC in response to a challenge to create a poem with interlocking rhymed tercets. Roseille is fast becoming one of my new favorite poets because of her creativity and her flawless rhythm. The elements of Garden Lace are: written in any number of tercets. syllabic, L1 & L2 8 syllables each, L3 14 syllables. Optional: L1 & L2 of each tercet is iambic tetrameter, L3 is iambic heptameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme, aba bcb cdc ded and so on. Winter Garden Winter Garden In winter darkness blooms of white crocuss mock, in pure merriment, the bleak and cold landscape. A pilot of light in the night. With saffron stigma, testament of her value beyond the sight of beauty in blight, with grace she offers her sacrament. ~~Judi Van Gorder Kwoa is a recently invented form by Max Kwoa that turns on only 2 rhymes. The elements of the Kwoa are: a 15 line poem made up of 6 couplets followed by a tercet. syllabic, the first 4 couplets and the 6th couplet, L1 of each couplet is 10 syllables and L2 of each couplet is 6 syllables. The 5th couplet has a syllable count of 9-5. The tercet has a syllable count of 5-5-6. composed with the 10 syllable lines are broken by caesura midway. rhymed, rhyme scheme ab ab ab ab xx ab xab x is unrhymed x x x x x, x x x x a x x x x x b x x x x x, x x x x a x x x x x b x x x x x- x x x x a x x x x x b x x x x x, x x x x a x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x, x x x x a x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x a x x x x x b Let Love In When love is offered, regardless of how, embrace with gratitude, enjoy the glory, let it fill the now, do not let it elude. Savor the moment, the explosive POW! Don't live in solitude, even love's sharp claws, cautiously allow because selflessness should be the goal of every living being. Loving another is the ultimate gift. Pick up the plow and clear the tangled wood make room for giving yourself, disavow fear, be blessed and renewed. ~~Judi Van Gorder . LANoe is an invented form by bLisa Noe that has mono-rhymed tercets with an easy rhythm. The elements of the LANoe are: stanzaic, written in no less than 3 tercets and no more than 8 tercets. syllabic, L1 and L2 are 8 syllables each. L3 is 3 syllables. rhymed, rhyme scheme aaa bbb ccc ddd etc. Gone See the hand that’’s withered and worn, From a man who’s beaten and torn. He’s no more. Now He’s gone but love still remains, Everything in life has now changed. But life's strange. Heaven is where we shall meet, my Lord, I hunger for your precious word. Sweetest heard. You are my Savior, I am proud, You speak to me so clear and loud. in the crowd. ~~Lisa Noe Summer Travail On Sunday the summer wind wailed drawing fears from the COVID jailed options paled Above unseasonable clouds adorned in dark, ominous shrouds what will now Could there be more to spoil my day? The mouse Molly brought in to play, here to stay. ~~Judi Van Gorder Octet is an invented form introduced by Dr. Laura Andersson. It is simply a diminishing octave. The elements of the Octet are: an octastich, a poem in 8 lines. syllabic, 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 syllables per line. unrhymed. variable and can be written as a mirror or can be reversed. Gunman Kills 11 by Judi Van Gorder Fire Season by Judi Van Gorder The Onzain (French) or Onzijn (Dutch onze means eleven} is an invented form, the Dutch version of which is attributed to a Drs. P. The form apparently originated in France and this is all I could find about the French version of the form. The verse form is pretty simple, it is all about the number eleven. The elements of the Onzain or Onzijn are: a poem in eleven lines. syllabic, each line is eleven syllables. rhymed, the Dutch rhyme scheme is a-b-c-b-c-d-c-d-a-e-e, (I can only guess that the French rhyme scheme may be different since this scheme was specified as the Dutch version.) Punnett, an invented verse form created by Marc Ant in response to a challenge to create a new verse form based on your occupation. Being a biology teacher, Marc based the form on the ratios in a "punnet square". (Punnett squares are used in Biology to assess the ratio of possible genotypic outcomes when crossing traits among a species.) The elements of the Punnett are: a poem in 9 lines. unmetered, counts words per line 1-2-1-2-4-2-1-2-1 unrhymed theme must be in the biological realm. composed with the first word being part of the last word. centered on the page. Example Poem Udder Elixir by Judi Van Gorder Revanche (French - revenge) is an American, invented, stanzaic form created by David Hirt. The defining feature of the Revanche is the alternating rhymeless quatrains with the rhymed couplets. The elements of the Revanche are: stanzaic, written in any number of alternating quatrains and couplets. metric, iambic tetrameter. There is a variation which is written in 4 sets of alternating quatrains and couplets. The first set of quatrain and couplet are iambic tetrameter, the following 3 sets are written L1 thru L3 of each quatrain is tetrameter, L4 is iambic trimeter, the couplets are iambic tetrameter. rhymed, the quatrains are unrhymed and the couplets are rhymed. xxxx aa xxxx bb xxxx cc etc. x being unrhymed. (Note: the discription at Writing.com desribes the quatrains as "loosely Blank Verse" referring to the fact that the lines of the quatrain are unrhymed, this could be misleading. Lack of rhyme is only one feature of Blank Verse. Blank verse is always iambic pentatmeter. Rondel Grand An invented form by Victoria Sutton or Passionspromise at Writing.com. I'm unsure why this takes the name of Rondel since the stanza, rhyme, refrain and syllable patterns are not similar. (other than the first 4 lines are 8 syllables) It is still a fun form to give a try. The elements of the Rondel Grand are: stanzaic, written in minimum of 3 quintains. syllabic, L1-L4 8 syllables each, L5 is 6 syllables. rhymed, rhyme scheme ababR cdcdR,etc. written with L5 repeating as L5 in each subsequent stanza. Rondel Grand Modified is a modification of the above Rondel Grand, created by Twila Colville / tucknits at writing.com. It changes the Rondel Grand rhyme scheme from alternating to rhymed couplets and changes the the refrain from repeating the entire L5 to breaking L5 into two 3 syllable phrases and gives the poet the option of repeating only 1 phrase at either the beginning or end of the 6 syllable L5 in subsequent stanzas. The elements of the Rondel Grand Modified are: stanzaic, written in a minimum of 2 cinquains, preferably more. syllabic, L1-L4 are 8 syllables each, L5 is 6 syllables. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbR, ccddR, etc. written with a refrain which includes the repetition of 3 consecutive syllables from L5 of the first stanza at either the beginning or end of L5 of subsequent stanzas. Joe's Words All his life my young brother wrote For love, work and family both; He would say “utter amusement,” But this prose needs no inducement From his pen, thoughts inspired. No words dared retire or impend; Old terms, new ideas he penned. Eccentric gems of dialect, His views seldom scribed direct; From his pen, prose tumbled. Three eulogies, oft he did quote "Four too many", sadly he wrote. I would agree; I heard him pray, "Goodbye's impossible to say;" From his pen, memories. Though afar his deep work I read, Never once did my lone voice plead; To praise his aggrieved wordsmith’s scree, His stories captivated me. From his pen, no debris. “We grow too old too soon and too late too smart”, sage old phrase rings true; Losing him reminds my heart of Its wisdom nous; lost sibling love From his pen, pained adieu. ~~Twila Colville Ronka is an invented verse form shared by Dave Schneider @ WCD which he found at Wordpress.com created by Ken Ronkowitz. The form is Ken’s combination of the haiku, and tanka with a little bit of himself thrown in. Basically it is a 5 line poem made up of 7 words (not syllables) each. He takes it a step closer to the haiku and infuses a touch of the season and ego-less-ness. The elements of the ronka are: a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines unmetered, each line is made up of 7 Words (not syllables) a season or a seasonal symbol is infused into the poem draws emotion from the image rather than the poet. Shutdown Federal parks closed, government workers go unpaid, this Christmas, groceries, dolls and toy trains will be sparse for four hundred thousand, held hostage to five billion dollar wall. What happened to promised, “Mexico will pay”? ~~ Judi Van Gorder Sidewalk Poem a la Gervic. Found at WDC, created by Gervic, this is a two-part poem featuring parallels and contrast. The elements of the Sidewalk Poem a la Gervic are: a two-part poem, each displaying a contrast or parallel of events, ideas, objects, feelings, emotions, etc. each of the two parts is made up of four closed tercets, each tercet is composed of a short main line followed by an indented couplet. each of the two parts end with a single-line refrain. L1 of each part is repeated as L7 in refrain. each tercet should interact with the other tercets but should also be able to be a stand alone poem. meter or syllabic patterns at the discretion of the poet. rhyme scheme, X1 aaxbb xcc xdd X1 or X2ab xab xcd xcd X2. x being unrhymed X being a refrain the title of the poem is a combination of the two refrains. The Sierras and the Pacific by Judi Van Gorder Part 1 XXXX1 xxxxxxxxxa xxxxxxxxxa or b xxxx xxxxxxxxxb or a xxxxxxxxxb xxxx xxxxxxxxxc xxxxxxxxxc or d xxxx xxxxxxxxxd or c xxxxxxxxxd XXXX1 Part 2 repeats the above frame using parallels or contrasting events, ideas, objects, feeling, emotions, etc. Sidlak means "shine" in Cebuano, a language of Northern Mindanao, Philippine Islands. It is a verse form that has appeared over the last 5 years in blogs at Word Press. It seems Shambhavi Bhardwaj first introduced it there. But because of the Filipino source of the name and he does not take credit for its creation, it's source is still a mystery to me. Shambhavi's description of the form however, has been quoted exactly whenever the form appears online so far. I break it down a little differently here. I have searched the internet and the Philippine and Indian Poetry sections of the New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics to find some reference to the form without success. Because of the above research and especially because the last line syllable count is left to the discretion of the poet in lieu of a "color". I am pretty sure this is a recently invented form. There is a question of whether the last line must be confined to a color only or the color can be the focus of a phrase. The oldest sidlaks I could find use the color in a phrase. However, the poems I've read limiting the last line to the color only were very effective. I think given the two options, whatever works best for your poem is the correct answer. The elements of the Sidlak are: a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines. syllabic, 3-5-7-9- L5 syllable count is at discretion of the poet. L5 presents a COLOR that portrays the whole poem or the feelings of the writer without syllable count restriction. President George H.W. Bush Nation's pride respected leader passes to the other side he lived well, led with integrity wrapped in red, white and blue ~~Judi Van Gorder Hollow Since you left clouds darken the sky, the old dog mopes on the porch, and waking without you, the days are GREY. ~~Judi Van Gorder The Skinny is a verse form originally found at Word Press created by African American poet, Truth Thomas in the Tony Medina Poetry Workshop at Howard University. The intent of the form is to create "a vivid image with as few words as possible". The elements of the Skinny are: a verse form in 11 lines. unmetered. The measure is the line and the word. L1 can be any length although shorter lines are preferable. L11 is a repeat of L1 although it can change in word arrangement, in tense or variations of root words. L2 thru L10 are single words. L2, L6 and L10 are the same word. Poet's MagicA poem is just words in linespoetryisthe magicpoetrytouchesthereaderpoetryis words in lines, just a poem. ~~Judi Van Gorder The Solage is another one found by Dave. Created by poet, teacher, Cameron Semmens and discovered at How to write your own sogage, these are fun to write and can be addicting. The elements of the Solage are: a tristich, a poem in 3 lines. rhymed, L1 and L2 rhyme, L3 is unrhymed composed with 2 short lines followed by a single word 3rd line. L1 and L2 can be parallels with L3 related to both L3 should be sort of like a punchline. It's so cold and I'm getting old. ~winter~ ~~jvg More: The TriVail was created by J.lynn Sheridan in response to a poetic form challenge as demonstrated on her blog Writing on the Sun. She says it is loosely based on the monostich, which is simply a poem in a single line. I believe the connection is in reference to each couplet should be complete and should be able to stand alone as a poem. Maybe a better reference would be the ghazal. The elements of the TriVail are: stanzic, written in six couplets followed by a tercet. Each couplet should be complete, never enjambed to the next couplet. Each couplet should be able to stand alone as a poem but relate in some way to the couplet before, similar to the ghazal. syllabic, 3-7 3-7 3-7 3-7 3-7 3-7 3-3-3, each couplet has lines of three and seven syllables, and all three lines of the tercet have three syllables each. rhymed, the couplets can be either rhymed ab ab ab ab ab ab or aa bb cc dd ee ff, the tercet is unrhymed. composed with repeating one word from L1 somewhere in the subsequent couplets and again in the tercet. composed with a theme based on relationships of any kind The Tribe by Judi Van Gorder The Ziggurat is an invented form from Massachusetts poet Paul Szlosek in honor of Poetry Month. It has 4 sequentially increasing stanzas with lines measured by words instead of syllable or meter. Originally found at The Playground. The elements of the Ziggurat are: Stanzaic made up of four stanzas of 2 lines, 3 lines, 4 lines, and 5 lines. Lines measured by the number of words Stanza 1 lines of 2 words each, Stanza 2 lines of 3 words each, Stanza 3 lines of 4 words each, and Stanza 4 lines of 5 words each. Rhymed, each stanza is monorhyme, aa bbb cccc ddddd. Appetite

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Verse Form You might say all verse forms were invented. All forms had to begin with a single poem, a creation of composition and content that inspired others to imitate if not the content, the frame or structure of the piece. Traditional verse and stanzaic forms are identified and named over time, but there are forms that were created to be imitated. It has become a phenomenon with the advent of poetic communities on the internet. And even long before the internet, the creation of invented forms was a teaching tool used by educators to help the student to explore many subjects through writing.Many of the Invented forms in this section were found on the internet, mostly at Poetry Base, Poet's Garret, Shadow Poetry, Poetry Styles, All Poetry and Bob Nueman's Vol Central. They are relatively new, many created in the last decade. Also included here are verse forms found in Pathways for a Poet by Viola Berg and The Study and Writing of Poetry; American Women Poets Discuss Their Craft, 1983. Pathways published in 1977 appears to be written for teachers with contributions by teachers. It is surprising how many of the invented forms of Pathways… are found also on the internet sites proving they have some staying power. Choosing to write in form, should be a means to escalate the message. But often, especially in the use of more recent invented forms, it can be a practice or training tool with which to hones one's skills. Have fun with them and if you come up with a unique frame you think others would like to tinker with, let me know at tinker1111@icloud.com, so it can be included here. 160 7/5 Trochee AL'Arora Alouette Afflatus Alliterative Acrostic Trigee Ameranth Anphion Analogue Arabesque Argonelles Arkaham Ballad Baccresieze Balance Bina Bio Poem Blitz Brevette Cadence Cameo Canopus Caryotte Cascade Cinkqu Cinq Trois Deca La Rhyme Cinquetun Cherita Circlet Clarity Pyramid Cleave Coin Count Up & Count Down Constanza Cote Cromorna Crystalline Cycle Decannelle Decathlon Decrina Decuain dekaaz Deten Diamonte or Diamond Poem Diatelle Dickson Dionnol Dixdeux Domino Rhyme Double Etheree Double Five Duo-Rhyme Duplex Dr Stella Donna Dorisimbra Double Etheree Dourzet Duodora Duni Epulaeryu Etheree Essence Faceted Diamond Fialka Forget Me Not Frieze Gardenia Garden Lace Golden Shovel Haikuette Haiku Wannabees Hautt Hexaduad Inverted Hexaduad HexSonnetta Inverted Refrain Joseph's Star Kerf Kimo La'libertas La'Tuin Lady Slipper Lakelet Lannet Licentia Rhyme Form Line Messaging Loop Lannet Margeda Mid Swap Mirror Sestet Mirror Tetractys Mirrored Refrain Neoteric Classic Novem Palette Octet Onzain Projacking Punnett Quintanelle Quinzain Revache Reverse Etheree Rondel Grand Rondel Grand Modified Ronka Sidlak Skinny Solage Tailgater Tetractys Tricube Trigee Trijan Refrain Trillinea Trio Triquain Tritriplicata Trivail Tuanortsa Tulip Twenty Six Letters Tyburn Veltanelle Vers Beaucoup Verso-Rhyme Vignette Villonnet Violette Virelet Visual Verse Waltz Wave Wavelet Wheelchair Angel Style Whitney Wrapped Refrain Xenolith ZaniLa Rhyme Zanze Zany ZigZag Five Zenith Zeno Zip

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry The Sonnet Sonnet Comparison Chart Invented Forms Poet's Collective, is where Lawrence Eberhart has gathered forms he has found interesting. He usually simply finds a form, copies and pastes the information giving the source credit, analyses the frame, maybe adds a comment and then writes some of the best example poems I've encountered. Many of the invented forms unique to the site were originally found at All Poetry, A poetry community where there are some poetry courses and many blog like forums that include poetry of the members as well as information they might want to share such as new forms they might have run across or even invented themselves. Here are many of the forms collected at Poet's Collective. 5/3 Meter Verse is a stanzaic form that I assume Lawrence Eberhardt to be the creator. What appears to be a very simple form is not simple at all. It is about mastering metric patterns. The elements of the 5/3 meter are: stanzaic, written in 5 or more quatrains. metric, accentual syllabic verse, measuring syllable count and metric patterns. Written with alternating lines of 5 and 3 syllables. Syllables per line 5-3-5-3. Metric pattern, the odd numbered lines are a iamb, da Dum, followed by an anapest, da Dum da, and the even numbered lines are a dactyl, Dum da Dum. rhymed, alternating rhyme scheme A1B1A2B2 cdcd efef ghgh A1B1A2B2. The odd lines end on feminine rhyme, the even on masculine rhyme composed repeating the first stanza as the last stanza in refrain. Example poem The 13 Line Sonnet is simply writing any sonnet form that ends with a rhymed couplet and condensing L13 and L14 into one iambic pentameter line with internal rhyme, invented by Marcy Jarvis. I can only assume the intent is to include the standard elements of "the sonnet" with the exception of being shortened by one line. The elements of the 13 Line Sonnet are: a lyrical poem written in 13 lines, made up any combination of stanzaic forms that could result in a total of 12 lines followed by a single line. metric, iambic pentameter rhymed, variable rhyme scheme with the last line, L13 internally rhymes with the end word. x x x x d x x x x d pivot or turn according to the sonnet form chosen Sunday Morning Six A.M. chill carried on the sea mist, drenched divulgation, dampening my waking will to get up and tame my artist. So much to write, so much to do, but the comfort of our bed pulls me back under our cozy quilt to you and dream instead. ~~Judi Van Gorder 15/10 Alternating Verse, first demonstrated by Jeff Green is a pattern of alternating 15 syllable lined stanzas with 10 syllable lined stanzas. The elements of the 15/10 Verse are: stanzaic, written in any number of alternating quatrains of 15 syllable lines and 10 syllable lines. syllabic, the 15 syllable lines begin with an anapest da Dum da followed by 12 syllables, metric pattern at discretion of poet. The 10 syllable line metric pattern is at the discretion of the poet however most often 10 syllables equal 5 iambs. daDum daDum daDum daDum daDum. rhymed, rhyme scheme, the 15 line quatrains are made up of rhymed couplets and the 10 lined quatrains are alternating rhyme. aabb cdcd eeff ghgh etc Example poem Acrostic Tribute Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by Ron Morris and is essentially any sonnet frame but with the added device that the first letter of each line spells out the name of person honored in the poem. The elements of the Acrostic Tribute Sonnet are: a quatorzain, with a stanzaic pattern at discretion of the poet. metric, preferably iambic pentameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme at the discretion of the poet. pivot placement at the discretion of the poet. composed as a tribute to someone. an acrostic, the name of the one honored is spelled out in the fist letter of each line. Alphabet Haiku shouldn't really be considered haiku since there is no Ah ha moment and metaphor is allowed. It is simply, but strictly the common 5-7-5 frame with all words beginning with the same letter of the alphabet. Created by Beatrice Evans at All Poetry. 2019 #23 fierce frigid Friday freeloading firewood from friend faithless furnace fried ~~jvg 2019 #30 Amanda's Dark Sonnet is an invented sonnet form is also an alliterated acrostic with a dark theme. It was invented by Amanda J Norton. The elements of Amanda's Dark Sonnet are: a quatorzain made up of 2 seven lined stanzas. syllabic, 14 syllable lines. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbcca abbccdd volta optional the initial letter of each line in S1 alliterates with the initial letter of the corresponding line in S2 Amanda’s Pinch is an invented verse form created by Amanda Norton is a syllabic form that appears on the page as if it was pinched in the middle. The elements of the “Pinch” are: an octastich, a poem in 8 lines. syllabic, syllables per line 12-12-10-8-8-10-12-12 rhymed, rhyme scheme abcDDcba L4 is repeated in L5 allierated, every line shout have alliteration centered on the page Anaduo is an anapestic stanzaic form created by Lisa LaGrange at All Poetry with an acephalous anapestic first metric foot of each line. The elements of the Anaduo are: stanzaic, written in any number of sixains made up of 2 tercets. metric, accentual syllabic, L1,L2 and L4, L5 are anapestic tetrameter, L3 and L6 are anapestic trimeter. All lines begin with an acephalous metric foot. anapestic = 2 unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable, da da DUM, acephalous = headless. the first syllable of a metric foot lopped off. anapest da da DUM acephalous anapest da DUM. or it may be easier to understand if we said L1,L2 are made up of an iamb followed by 3 anapests and L3 made up of an iamb followed by 2 anapests repeat. Syllables per line 11-11-8-11-11-8. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabccb ddeffe etc Example poem Arabian Sonnet appears to be a little known invented form. The only name associated with the origins of the form is Jem Farmer of All Poetry. Other than the defining features of frame and rhyme scheme, it is assumed the components of the classic sonnet apply. The elements of the Arabian Sonnet are: a quatorzain made up of 2 quatrains followed by 2 tercets. metric, iambic pentameter. rhymed, aaaa bbbb ccc ddd. turned in the 9th line. Avebury Air by Jem Farmer Arabian Onegin Sonnet is a variation of the Arabian Sonnet which simply includes repeat rhyme in a unique pattern. The elements of the Arabian Onegin Sonnet are: a quatorzain made up of 2 quatrains followed by 2 tercets. metric, iambic pentameter. rhymed,AaAa BBbb CcC DDd Anapeat is a verse form create by Susan Budig that won a Forms Challenge at Writer's Digest despite somewhat misleading terminology used in describing the elements of the form. The creator did include a poem as an example which I am sure was the clincher for the win and I have chosen to describe the elements of the poem which more accurately convey her intent. (The original description of the form uses the word "anaphora' liberally and yet anaphora appears no where in the example poem. The correct term for the element referred to would be tumbling refrain. Much like in the French form, the Retourne) The elements of the Anapeat are: a verse form made up of 5 quintains. (5 line stanzas) line length and meter at the discretion of the poet rhyme at the discretion of the poet. composed with tumbling refrain in which L1 of S1 is repeated as L2 in S2, L3 in S3, L4 in S4 and L5 in S5. titled using all or a portion of the refrain. Example Poem This poem by Lawrence Eberhart tries to use the original description but in the end follows the elements of Ms Budig's poem rather than her description. Arquain is a simple syllabic verse form with only the 7 syllables lines rhymed. created by Madison Shaw aka Arkbear @ All Poety. The elements of the Arquain are: a verse form made up of 3 quatrains. (12 lines total) syllabic, syllables per line 1-2-3-4 5-7-7-5 4-3-2-1 rhyme, xxxx xaax xxxx , x being unrhymed. centered on the page. Arquain String is simply a string of 3 Arquains (36 lines total). The rhyme of the 7 syllable lines can change from arquain to arquain. Example poem Asean Sonnet or Asean Royal Flush Sonnet, is simply an Italian sonnet in mono-rhyme. The variation is somehow associated with South East Asia but further detail is still illusive. The elements of the Asean Sonnet are: lyrical. a quatorzain made up of an octave followed by a sestet. metric, iambic pentameter. mono-rhymed, aaaaaaaaaaaaaa. turned on the 9th line. The Architect by Jem Farmer Atrina, created by Keith Metcalf Drew at All Poetry is a verse form with a complex refrain pattern which in effect require that you need write only 9 lines of the 18 lines total. The rest are all refrain. The elements of the Atrina are: a verse form made up of 3 quatrains followed by a sestet. (18 lines total) syllabic, all lines are 8 syllables. rhymed, rhyme scheme, A1A2aA1 B1B2bB1 C1C2cC1 A1A2B1B2C1C2. Caps represent a refrain. composed with each quatrain with it's own refrain, L1 repeated as L4. The sestet is made of the first 2 lines of each quatrain repeated in sequence. Example Poem The Bardic Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by William Kenneth Keller that uses the Shakespearean Sonnet and adds a complicated rhyme pattern. The elements of the Bardic Sonnet are: a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet. metric, iambic pentameter volta arrives late in the frame, sometime in the 3rd quatrain or even waiting until the declamatory couplet. rhymed, alternating rhyme, abab cdcd efef gg, but here is where it gets a little tricky. The rhyme is found both internal as well as at the end of the line. The internal or interlaced rhyme (echoed internally with another line.) is true or perfect rhyme (last stressed vowel and last consonant are echoed) but the end rhyme is consonant rhyme (end sounds consonate, ball/ fell) and including framed rhyme (the consonant preceding the vowel consonates with the consonant after the vowel. bit/bat ). To take it a bit further, the inventor requests that it be strict consonant rhyme as used in ancient Irish forms and designates interlaced rhyme to be echoed in the first 3 metric feet.The couplet contains both the end consonant rhyme and interlaced rhyme Capital = perfect rhyme lower case=consonant rhyme. .x x x A x x x x x a x B x x x x x x x b x x x x A x x x x a x x x x x B x x x b The Chandler Sonnet is an invented verse form introduced by B Chandler that although it is called a sonnet, has nothing in common with the sonnet form. The elements of the Chandler Sonnet are: a poem in 22 lines, written in 3 quatrains, an octave and a couplet in that order. syllabic, the first 3 quatrains are dodecasyllabic, the quatrain is hendecasyllabic and the couplet is heptasyllabic lines. rhymed, turned on only 4 rhymes, abab baba abab cdccdcdd ee. Dual Sonnet is an invented form that basically is 2 sonnet forms, or at least rhyme schemes, in one. Created by Allen R Murray the end rhyme of one form is found mid line and another sonnet form rhyme at the end of the line. The elements are: a quatorzain made up of either octave/sestet or three quatrains and couplet. metric, iambic pentameter. rhymed, select two rhyme schemes from recognized sonnet forms. One rhyme scheme should appear mid line and the other at the end of the line. xxxxaxxxxA lower case and uppercase simply indicates different rhyme sounds. xxxxbxxxxB xxxxaxxxxB xxxxbxxxxA Dueces Sonnet is a restricted invented form turned on only two rhymes. Created by Mary Lou Healy, the pivot placement is also specifically limited to either L9 and L11 at the rhyme pattern change. The elements are: a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet. metric, iambic pentameter rhymed, turned on only 2 rhymes, abba abba baab aa pivot at rhyme pattern change, either L9 or L11 Echo Sonnet is an invented double refrain sonnet form created by Jeff Green. The elements of the Echo Sonnet are: lyrical. a quatorzain made up 3 quatrains followed by a couplet, similar to the Kyrielle Sonnet. metric, iambic pentameter. rhymed with a double refrain. A1bbA2 accA2 addA2 A1A2. composed without pivot. Because of the double refrain, the poem seems to be revolving, ending where it started. The Bridge of Dreams by Jeff Green Eggtimer is an invented verse form created by Dorian Peterson Potter in which the first 5 lines are reversed and repeated as the last 5 lines. The elements of the eggtimer are: a decastich, a poem in 10 lines syllabic 5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5 L1 thru L5 are repeated in reverse order in L6 thru L10 best centered on the page unrhymed Circle Morning yawns open saunters to noon sun to moon night sleeps soon soon night sleeps moon to sun saunters to noon. Morning yawns open. ~~Judi Van Gorder We Remember by Judi Van Gorder The Eight-ette is an invented verse form that has a progressive syllable count. You guessed it, 1 through 8 syllables in an eight line frame. Created by Linda Varnell Smith at Rainbow Communications who adds an additional challenge, two optional rhyme schemes. The elements of the Eight-ette are: an octastich, a poem in eight lines. syllabic, syllables per line progress from 1 to 8, L1, 1 syllable, L2, 2 syllables, L3, 3 syllables, L4, 4 syllables and so on to L8, 8 syllables. rhymed, 2 options for rhyme, ababcdcd or aabbccdd poem is centered on the page. Write On One more time, shun the pun and nail the rhyme with progressive beat. Scribble another verse cutting the chaff from the wheat ignoring the writer's block curse. ~~Judi Van Gorder The Emmett created by Dorothy Hester is an invented verse form that uses the words of the first line to begin the subsequent lines. The elements of the Emmett are: a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines. L1 is made up of 5 words. Other than the first line, line length and meter are at the discretion of the poet. each line begins with the correlating word of the first line. L2 begins with the 2nd word of L1, L3 begins with the 3rd word of L1, L4 begins with the 4th word of L1 and L5 begins with the 5th word of L1. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbab Breakers Enormous waves pound West Coast waves towering 42 feet pound and repeat west of Cali’s boast coastal mountains elite. ~~Judi Van Gorder Entwined is an invented stanzaic form created by Mary Lou Healy utilizing a linking rhyme. The elements of the Entwined are: stanzaic, written in 3 or more quintains (5 lined stanzas). metered, all lines are iambic trimeter. rhymed, envelope rhyme using L3 of each stanza to link to the next stanza in L1 and L5. The last stanza should link L3 to L1 and L5 of the first stanza. abcba cdedc efgfe ghahg Example Poem Folded Sonnet invented by Barry Hopkins has a cloudy description and I don't see enough to include it as a true sonnet. The elements of the Folded Sonnet are: a dodecastich, a 12 line poem. (However the poet has the option of writing any number of lines between 10 and 17 lines. metric, iambic heptameter. (7 metric feet) rhymed, rhymed couplets or whatever suits the poet. pivot L 9 Gemstone invented by Lisa Morris, is a relatively long poem, a verse form of 32 lines in meter and rhyme, the form is suitable for story telling. It is the rhyme scheme and changing meter of the octave that makes this form unique. The elements of the Gemstone are: a poem written in 4 octaves (8 line stanzas) each made up of 2 quatrains. Because there is no interlocking rhyme or refrain between octaves, the frame can be realized in 1 stanza and I imagine this could be considered stanzaic in that any number of octaves could be written at the discretion of the poet metric, iambic tetrameter except L2, L4 and L7 of each octave, which are iambic trimeter. rhymed, rhyme scheme ababccba dedeffed ghghiihg jkjkllkj, etc. Witches' Brew by Judi Van Gorder Hyper Sonnet is an invented sonnet form created Marnie Kanarek that turns on one rhyme. The elements of the Hyper Sonnet are: a quatorzain made up of 4 tercets followed by a couplet. metric, iambic each stanza has variable line lengths of L1 pentameter, L2 tetrameter, and L3 pentameter. The couplet iambic pentameter. rhymed. Rhyme scheme axa axa xaa xaa aa x being unrhymed. pivot at the discretion of the poet. Insane Cinquain is an invented form created by Amanda J. Norton, a.k.a. Dark Butterfly @ AllPoetry, that is a decastich made up of two cinquains with a unique syllabic pattern. The elements of the Insane Cinquain are: a decastich (10 line poem) made up of 2 cinquains (5 line stanzas). syllabic, S1 4-6-5-7-8 and S2 8-7-5-6-4 syllables per line. rhymed, rhyme scheme abxab cdxcd. Sunday Morning Six A,M, chill carried on the ocean mist, drenched divulgation, dampening my waking will to get up and tame my artist. So much to write, so much to do. But the comfort of our bed pulls me back under our downy quilt to you, to dream instead. ~~Judi Van Gorder Lazy Day Sonnet is an invented form created by Rebecca Kerr. Although it wasn't broken by stanzaic pattern in the description, I'm making the assumption the quatorzain is made up of 2 sestets because of the placement of the pivot. The elements of the Lazy Day Sonnet are: a quatorzain made up of 2 sestets. metric preferably iambic pentameter. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbccd ddeeeff. pivot after L7. Marshalline Sonnet is an invented sonnet that employs feminine end words. It was created by Mairi Bheag at All Poetry. The elements of the Marshalline Sonnet are: a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet syllabic, all lines carry 9 syllables, iamb-iamb-iamb-amphibrach, falling or feminine end words. composed with the volta at or following L9 rhymed, rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg, The Mononet is an invented form with alternate and internal rhyme, introduced by B Chandler. The elements of the Mononet are: stanzaic, written in 2 octaves followed by a couplet. syllabic, all lines are hendecasyllabic except L5 and L15 which are written in 2 hemistiches of 6 syllables each for a total of 12 syllables and L17 is 6 syllables. rhymed,turned on only 4 rhymes, abab(A-A)bab cdcd(C-C)dcD AD or abba(A-A)bba cdcc(D1-D1)dcD2 AD2. Lower case = rhyme, uppercase = rhymed refrain. composed with L5 and L15 written with a 6 syllable hemistich which is repeated in the same line creating a refrain with internal rhyme within the line. composed with the concluding couplet, a refrain, L17 is a repeat of one hemistich from L5 and L18 is the repeat of L16. x x x x x x x x x x a or x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x a x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x A x x x x x A x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x a x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x x x x d x x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x x x x d x x x x x C x x x x x C x x x x x x x x x x d x x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x x x x D x x x x x A x x x x x x x x x x D x x x x x x x x x x a x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x a x x x x x A x x x x x A x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x a x x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x x x x d x x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x D1x x x x x D1 x x x x x x x x x x d x x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x x x x D2 x x x x x A x x x x x x x x x x D2 Pendrangle is a very recent (I think 2018) invented form created by PenAllen at All Poetry. It uses 12 syllable lines, monorhyme and a refrain. The elements of the Pendrangle are: Written in any number of quatrains alternating with a couplet refrain. Syllabic, 12 syllables each line. Rhymed, aaaa BB cccc BB dddd BB etc The caps are a repeated refrain. I Choose my Own Fate I used to hear, What is your sign?, all of the time. Planning your day by the moon and the stars is fine if you believe. I won't wait for stars to align, I prefer the view displayed in sparkle and shine. Never took much stock in Astrological signs, painted cards predicting my fate rebel my mind. I've only seen sinister Tarot on TV. OMG a hanging man is the card I see, the scary death card foretelling a killing spree. I'm sure there is more, I just know it's not for me Never took much stock in Astrological signs painted cards predicting my fate rebel my mind. I'm told I'm an Aries, I don't buy into it. I can play into some strengths assigned then I split, I can not ignore that others simply don't fit, and playing cards won't decide my fate, not a bit. Never took much stock in Astrological signs painted cards predicting my fate rebel my mind. ~~Judi Van Gorder Purely Hopeful is an invented form created by Jennifer L. Hedin and found at All Poetry.com. The elements of the Purely Hopeful are: Is a quatorzain, not a sonnet, made up of a quatrain followed by two tercets and ending in a quatrain. Syllabic, 9-8-7-6, 7-8-9, 9-8-7, 6-7-8-9 syllables per line. rhymed, abab cdc cdc fgfg. The Quadrilou is an invented form found at AllPoetry created by Mary Lou Healy appears to be an exercise in meter. The elements of the Quadrilou are: Stanzaic, written in 2 octaves, made up of 2 quatrains. Metric, the lines of each quatrain is iambic, measured by L1 = tetrameter or approximately 8 syllables. L2 = dimeter or approximately 4 syllables. L3 = trimeter or approximately 6 syllables. L4 = dimeter or approximately 4 syllables. Rhymed, rhyme does not change from octave to octave, abcdabcd abcdabcd. The Quaintrell is an invented stanzaic form created by DD Michaels at All Poetry. It was noted that a quaintrelle is a feminine version of the “dandy”. A woman overly concerned with her appearance, expressing her passion for leisure and “life’s pleasures" through her dress and deportment. This seems to be a variation on the Curtal Stanza from the 19th century wherein the quatrains are written in iambic pentameter except the 4th line which is iambic dimeter with a different rhyme scheme. The elements of the Quaintrell are: Stanzaic, written in 3 or more octaves made up 2 quatrains each. Metric, accentual syllabic, all lines are iambic tetrameter except L4 and L8 of each octave which are iambic trimeter. Syllable count 8 8 8 6 8 8 8 6 in each stanza. Rhymed, L3 and L7 carry internal rhyme, rhyme scheme a a (b-b) c d d (e-e) c // f f (g-g) h I I (j-j) h / . . etc. or a a b c d d e c // f f g h I i j h with the b, e, g & j lines internally rhymed. L3 xxxbxxxb L7 xxexxxxe The Curtailed Quaintrelle created by Marcy Jarvis and further developed by DD Michaels is an invented sonnet form. Curtailed apparently refers to the shortened line at the end of each quatrain. The elements of the Curtailed Quaintrelle Sonnet are: lyrical a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed a couplet. metric, L1-L3 are iambic tetrameter and L4 is iambic trimeter in each quatrain. The couplet is iambic pentameter. . syllabic, L1-L3 of each quatrain are 8 syllables and L4 of each quatrain is 6 syllables; the couplet is made up of 8 syllable lines. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabc ddec ffgc hh. There is internal rhyme in L3 of each quatrain. Therefore the b, e & g rhyme is repeated within the line. L3 xxxbxxxb (And apparently you have the option of leaving the 4th line of the 3rd stanza unrhymed.) pivot optional. Ravenfly is an invented verse form created by Amanda J. Norton, (Darkbutterfly). The elements of the Ravenfly are: a decastich (poem in 10 lines), made up of 2 quatrains followed by a couplet. syllabic, 8-7-8-7 8-7-8-7 10-10. rhymed abab cdcd ee Where Doves Won't Fly by Judi Van Gorder RenRhyme is a recent invented form created by Renee Mathews Jackson that employs the lines of the first stanza as a refrain in the following stanzas. This was found at All Poetry. The elements of the RenRhyme are: Isosyllabic. All lines are the same number of syllables. The poem can either be written with all 8 line syllables or all 10 line syllables. A verse form, a poem in 12 lines made up of 3 quatrains. Written with the lines of the first quatrain repeated as a refrain in the following stanzas. L1 repeated as L2 in the 2nd stanza. L2 repeated as L2 in the 3rd stanza. L3 repeated as L4 in the 2nd stanza. L4 repeated as L4 in the 3rd stanza. Rhymed. Rhyme scheme A1B1A2B2 - c A1c A2 - d B1 d B2. The Rondel Grand is an invented stanzaic form with a refrain and appears to have nothing in common with the French Rondel. “Rondel“ from French meaning “small circle”. The invented form was created by Victoria Sutton at All Poetry. The elements of the Rondel Grand are: Stanzaic, written in 3 quintains or more. Syllabic, L1 – L4 are 8 syllables each and L5 is 6 syllables. Rhymed, rhyme scheme ababR cdcdR efefR etc. Written with a refrain. L5 of each stanza is a refrain repeated from stanza to stanza. The Royal Spiral is an invented verse form that employs a skewed version of the rentrament of the Rondeau in the 2nd and 3rd stanzas. This was found at All Poetry created by Mary Sullivan Boren. The elements of the Royal Spiral are: 20 line poem made up of 4 quintains. Metric, L1-L4 is iambic pentameter and L5 is iambic dimeter. Rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbc / ccdde / eeffg / gghhc. Composed with a rentrament in which the first 2 metric feet of S1-L1 is repeated as S2- L5 and S1-L5 is repeated in the first 2 metric feet of S3-L1. S1 r r r e x x x x x x a x x x x x x x x x a x x x x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x x x x b r r r c S2 x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x x x d x x x x x x x x x d r r r e S3 r r r c x x x x x e x x x x x x x x x e x x x x x x x x x f x x x x x x x x x f x x x g S4 x x x x x x x x x g x x x x x x x x x g x x x x x x x x x h x x x x x x x x x h x x x c Schwim's Sonnet is an invented sonnet form in only 13 lines. Created by W.W. Schwim stating "the closing line is tertious (third) paeonic catalectic" Huh? Sorry that doesn't make sense to me in connection with the line in the example poems The elements of the Schwim Sonnet are: 3 quatrains followed by a single stich. metric, the quatrains are iambic pentameter, the closing single line is anapest-iamb-iamb-anapest, dadaDUM / daDUM / daDUM / dada DUM. rhymed, (a/a)b(c/c)d (e/e)b(f/f)d (g/g)b(h/h)d d with the odd numbered lines of the quatrains carrying internal rhyme at the 2nd metric foot with the end word. pivot at the last line. A Calendary Rose by Lawrence Eberhardt The Serenity Refrain is a little like the Quatern with a tumbling refrain. This invented verse form was created by Billie Jean Murchinson, found at All Poetry. The elements of the Serenity Refrain are: A poem in 30 lines made up 6 quintains. Syllabic, 7 syllables per line. Rhymed, scheme Rhyme Scheme: A1A2B1B2A3 / aA1cca / ddA1ad / eeaA1e / aaffA1 / A1A2B1B2A3. Written with a tumbling refrain L1-S1tumbling down to L2-S2, L3-S3, L4-S4, and L5-S5. The final stanza, S6 is simply a repetition of S1 The Signature Sonnet is another invented sonnet pretender in 3 quintains also introduced by B Chandler. The elements of the Signature Sonnet are: stanzaic, written in 3 quintains. metric, written in iambic tetrameter. rhymed, turned on only 2 rhymes aabba bbaab ababa Looking for Friends by Lawrence Eberhart @ Every Sonnet The Shanzi is an invented verse form created by Andreas Gripp of London Ontario and found on Lawrencealot’s blog. The form is a kind of expanded haiku. The elements of the Shanzi are: A verse form written in 7 lines, 2 uneven couplets followed by a tercet, Syllabic, 4-5 / 5-4 / 4-4-5 syllables per line. Unrhymed. Title at the discretion of poet Constructed with: L1-L2 Introduce the subject L3-L4 “amplifies” the image or subject. L5-L7 provide a parallel image to inspire meditation. Shoe Laces is an invented verse form "spontaneously" created by Michael Fantina, aka Eusebius on Allpoetry. Michael simply wrote a poem, creating the frame to fit his message which would make this a nonce form until someone else read it and copied it and gave it a name. Now there are many "Shoe Laces" out on the internet. This is how most "classic" forms developed. Poets just creating a frame to fit their poem and someone else emulating the frame and recognizing it by assigning a name. The elements of Shoe Laces are: a poem in 11 lines. metric, iambic, alternating tetrameter lines with monometer lines, ending with a tetrameter line. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbacddcxee x being unrhymed.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms I found a few invented forms which appear to be exclusive to The Study and Writing of Poetry; American Women Poets Discuss Their Craft, 1983. The book is a collection of essays from 50 American women poets, each essay provides insights into a multitude of topics from poetic genres, stanzaic forms, to writing techniques. This book provided some additional insights and background information on several stanzaic forms that I thought I had researched fully. I liked this book, it pays attention to the details. The Anna was invented in honor of Arkansas, poet and news columnist, Anna Nash Yarbrough by James R. Gray of California. This creator suggests the theme for this metric verse be love. The elements of the Anna are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. metric, iambic pattern, L1 dimeter, L2 trimeter, L3 tetrameter, L4 pentameter, L5 tetrameter, L6 trimeter and L7 dimeter. unrhymed. Blush of Love by Judi Van Gorder In love with love we rushed to share our bodies, our dreams and souls with each other. Before our God we pledged our hearts and minds to honor til our very last breath. No clue how life in time can change the blush. The Burtonelle is a style of writing more than a form. At first glance, I thought this the same as a Cleave or Trigee but this technique produces only one poem, not three in one as those forms do. It was introduced by poet, novelist and educator, Wilma W Burton who takes credit only for labeling the technique and writing a poem a day in this style in the Bicentennial year 1976. Her discipline of writing a poem a day in a bound journal has continued well over 20 years and is an exercise she recommends for all aspiring poets. The Burtonelle is a poem written in two sections side by side with caesura in the form of a uniform space between the two columns or sides. Punctuation, caps, and meter are at the poet's discretion. The Cinquo is a half Crapsey Cinquain. The elements of the Cinquo are: a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines. syllabic, 1-2-3-4-1 syllables per line. unrhymed. Favored by jvg pear apple banana watermelon grapes The Ercil is an invented form introduced by James Gray, created in honor of Arkansas poet, Ercil Brown. This seems to me to be an exercise in meter. The elements of the Ercil are: a decastich, poem in 10 lines. metric, iambic pattern, L1 &L5 dimeter, L2,L6,L9 & L10 trimeter, L3 & L7 tetrameter and L4 & L8 pentameter. rhymed ababcdcdee. The Fantasy is a visually attractive form because of the fixed pattern of indentation. It was created by Miami poet, Irene Gramling. The tone can range from romantic to a rant. The elements of the Fantasy are a poem in 20 lines, made up of a septet, a sixain, and a septet, in that order. syllabic, all lines are 4 syllables each except L3 of each stanza. rhymed, scheme abccaba deffed gghhiii. composed with an indentation in L2-L6 and L9-L12. L2,L6,L9 & L12 indented 2 spaces, L3,L5,L10 & L12 are indented 3 spaces and L4 is indented 4 spaces. L1,L7,L8,L13-L20 are not indented. The Grayette is an invented verse form created by James R Gray of Commerce, California. The elements of the Grayette are: a poem in 12 lines. metric, iambic L1,L6,L7 and L12 are monometer, L2, L5,L8 and L11 are dimeter, L3, L4, L9 and L10 are tetrameter. rhymed, x a b a x b x c d c x d, - x being unrhymed. x x x x x a x x x x x x x b x x x x x x x a x x x x x b x x x x x c x x x x x x x d x x x x x x x c x x x x x d The Orvillette is an invented verse form created by Virginia Noble as a tribute to her son, Orville, a disabled World War II paratrooper. The elements of the Orvillette are: a verse form, written in 4 quatrains, a poem in 16 lines. metered, iambic tetrameter. composed with a refrain and a rentrament. L1 is repeated as L1 in each quatrain. The first 3 syllables of L4 are repeated as the first 3 syllables of L4 in each quatrain. rhymed, Raba Rcbc Rdbd Rebe. L3 of each stanza carries a linking rhyme between stanzas. x x x x x x x R x x x x x x x a x x x x x x x b r r r x x x x a x x x x x x x R x x x x x x x c x x x x x x x b r r r x x x x c etc. The Octo is an invented syllabic verse form introduced by James Neille Northe. The elements of the Octo are: an octastich, a poem in 8 lines. syllabic, all lines are 8 syllables each. rhymed ABCxxCBA, x being unrhymed. written with L1 repeated as L8, L2 repeated as L7 and L3 repeated as L6. The Onda Mel is an invented verse form introduced by Renelda Gibson. The elements of the Onda Mel are: an octastich, a poem in 8 lines made up of 2 quatrains. syllabic, 8-4-4-8-8-4-4-8 syllables per line. rhymed abbacddc. Politics by Judi Van Gorder Politics have never drawn me Over my head Put me to bed Always multiple sides to see But now I can't ignore the pull Fear and anger rise Daily surprise So much info, mind is full The Oriental Octet is an invented verse form that appears to emulate the syllabic pattern of the tanka and haiku. It was created by James R. Gray who requests the theme of the poem be nature. The elements of the Oriental Octet are: an octastich, a poem in 8 lines. syllabic, 5-7-5-7-7-5-7-5 syllables per line. unrhymed. The Drummer by Judi Van Gorder After the Dishes are Done by Judi Van Gorder I can hear the beat dropping from the heavy clouds fat full orbs of rain splashing on the window glass Wind chimes in its melody and whips the water's fall in rhythms only played by God I can feel the beat. The Shadorma is a simple syllabic verse form created by James Neill Northe that is most effective when written using strong words or phrases. The elements of the Shadorma are: a hexastich, a poem in 6 lines although you certainly could choose to write any number of sixains in this syllabic pattern. syllabic, 3-5-3-3-7-5 syllables per line. unrhymed. Team Depp Normally domestic abuse I'd believe her not him. Not this time, she is crazy. Un-cancel Johnny! ~~jvg 5-2-22 The Tango is an invented stanzaic form introduced by Chiquita LoJuana Gonzolas Sills. The elements of the Tango are: stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains. syllabic, 9-10-11-12 syllables per line. rhymed, xaxa xbxb etc. x being unrhymed. The Tripod is an invented verse form which has been used widely in Arkansas workshops. Created by Frances T. Brinkley who suggests the subject be relationships between men. The elements of the Tripod are: a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines but name implies the number 3 so it makes sense to me that this form should be expanded using 3 cinquains. syllabic, 3-6-9-6-3 syllables per line. unrhymed. Brothers by Judi Van Gorder Bonded by boredom punctuated with fear, born in a Humvee rattling through some Stone Age village called Amrut. Weapons aimed while scruffy children play in rubble from yesterday's air strike. Young soldiers in Kevlar watch shadows. No wheat fields or big city subways, the only thing like home is the guy next to you. Only he has your back.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Afflatus and/or Projack Afflatus is defined as "the act of blowing or breathing on" and also "overmastering impulse". As a poetic genre, it is the response to an existing poem by another poet in spirit, construction, theme etc inspiring one's own creation.. Afflatus is taking inspiration from another poem, when using the same structure it is the same as Projacking. Projacking is an exercise in writing learned from a poetry workshop on-line. Basically it means writing a poem using the frame or structure from a published nonce poem written by another. All of the recognized verse forms were "projacked" at one time or another. The very first sonnet was projacked by someone who imitated the sonnet frame using their own words and thoughts. Now there are many variations of sonnets, all because someone imitated or copied the structure of another's poem. I am pretty sure William Carlos Williams, writing the Red Wheelbarrow did not think he was creating a new verse form. But we know from Donald Hall's "How to Read a Poem", the frame of the poem is duplicated in an exercise directed by the text, there must be hundreds maybe thousands of "wheelbarrows" out there somewhere. The "wheelbarrow" isn't in the New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics or most other verse form books, but it has been projacked and the form is developing a following. So if you see a poem you particularly admire, give projacking a try. You might discover something about writing you didn't know before and it might even remove some inhibitions you may have, it did me. The first poem I chose to projack was homage to my hips by Lucille Clifton. Honestly when I put my own words and thoughts to the frame created by Ms. Clifton I wrote something that I probably would never have written without following her lead. I learned a great deal about writing from this simple exercise. Find a published poem you enjoy. Do a thorough explication of the poem. Study the content, the intent, opening, progression, and conclusion, the poetic devices used, line count and length, stanza separation, figurative speech used, alliteration, assonance, enjambment, caesura, rhyme scheme, etc. What makes this poem special? Imitate the frame or structure of the poem using your own thoughts and words. With your poem, you should recognize the poet and poem that inspired your work. leg-acy by Judi Van Gorder (projacked from homage to my hips by Lucille Clifton) these legs are long legs they need room to stretch and flex. they do not scrunch up into tight quarters, these legs are boundless they won't break stride. these legs have trudged up mountains, they carry the weight of a family they have run the race of survival these legs are strong legs these legs are dancer's legs. i have been known to bare them to draw his eyes and bring him to his knees!

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Verse Forms Allitersen (Complex and Rhyming) - Here are some recent invented verse forms from India. Complex Alliterisen is an invented verse form originating in India. Udit Bhatia a student at Delhi Public School first created the form which can be found on-line at Shadow Poetry. It relies heavily on alliteration and carries a variable syllabic meter. The elements of the Complex Allitersen are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. syllabic. The first line of the poem sets up the number of syllables for each subsequent line. L1,L6, and L7 are the same number of syllables. L1= x syllables L2= x + 2 syllables L3= x - 1 syllables L4= x + 1 syllables L5= x - 2 syllables L6= x syllables L7= x syllables alliterated. There must be 2 alliterations in each line. Rhyming Allitersen is also an invented verse form from the same source in India. Rhyme and consistency seem to be the focus of this verse form. The elements of the Rhyming Allitersen are: a heptastich. syllabic. All lines are 7 syllables. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbccd. composed with one alliteration in each line. Playing Poet by Judi Van Gorder Papers pushed to corner spot without one important thought explored before being stashed leaving checkered checks uncashed. Sharp pencil and ball point pen, ready to write once again with words scratched upon a page.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Irish Verse Atarlis Fileata (a-ar-lee fee-lay-ah-tay), which is Gaelic for "repeating poetic" is a stanzaic verse which doesn't seem to adhere to the standards of the ancient Irish forms. So I can only assume this is a more recent invented form, possibly the creation of Cathy at Mosaic Musings although she doesn't indicate it as such. The elements of the Atarlis Fileata are: stanzaic, written in any number of septets but each septet must be able to stand alone, therefore a narrative would not be appropriate. measured by number of words not syllables or metric feet with 2-3-4-5-4-3-2 words per line. rhymed, A B a x a B A. composed with a refrain, L1 is repeated as L7 and L2 is repeated as L6, Heat of Autumn by Judi Van Gorder Colors turn warm my view while damp leaves burn and toast my frigid fingers send thoughts to churn warm my view colors turn

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Haiku Crystalline Verse is a small poem, limited to 17 syllables, whose primary focus appears to be to match the Japanese clarity of image with the English harmony of sound. It was inspired by the Haiku and like the haiku it may be at its best when written in present tense. Any reference that can place the verse in context much like the Japanese kigo (season) or kidai (symbolic seasonal reference) is recommended. The Crystalline employs the kireji (cutting word) of the haiku. The kireji in haiku is a word that "cuts off" one view and turns the reader to a different view. In a longer Japanese poem the kireji is 2 long lines inserted midway in the poem that change the direction of the poem not only in structure but in thought. A stand alone small poem such as the Crystalline emulates the long poem's kireji couplet long line frame and it should "cut" or turn the view from one line to the next. Unlike haiku which observes the image with objectivity and attempts to keep the ego out of the verse, the Crystalline invites the poet's subjectivity and permits the poet's thought and feelings to be communicated through the verse. The verse form was created by American poet Denis Garrison and more information can be found at his site, Short Verse. The elements of the Crystalline are: a complete couplet. It can be a stand alone poem or written in any number of couplets as a longer poem. Like the Renga, a longer poem of Crystalline stanzas can be written by alternating more than one poet. syllabic, 17 syllables. A regular Crystalline is 8-9 or 9-8 syllables per line. An irregular Crystalline is 2 lines totaling 17 syllables and broken where appropriate other than the 8-9/9-8 regular form. written with the English grammatical rules of syntax, caps and punctuation. In other words no all lower case, omitted punctuation, nor incomplete sentences commonly seen in English haiku. Good grammatical English applies. at the poet's discretion, written with poetic devices such as rhyme, onomatopoeia, metaphor, allusion etc. composed with a "cut" or pivot most often between L1 and L2. untitled. The dust of summer covers the shelf where in spring you last left your ring. Judi Van Gorder Crystalline Award Winners

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Diamante or Diamond Poem is a contrast verse form commonly taught in middlegrade classrooms, it can also be found all over the internet in poetry communities such as Shadow Poetry and Poetry Base. It uses the parts of speech as a foundation and in that regard is similar to the Recipe Poem. For the more seasoned poet it can serve as a starting point to inspire other works. The verse is written from the outside in. The first and last lines are nouns that are opposites or antonyms. The interior of the poem expands on the two nouns and at the center joins them in shared likeness. The elements of the Diamante or Diamond Poem are: a heptastich, (7 lines). often a shape poem, the poem when centered on the page creates the outline of a diamond. unmetered. The measure of the line is the words used. L1 - a noun which is the opposite of the noun used in L7 L2 - 2 adjectives that describe L1 L3 - 3 verbs (present participle) that describe what L1 does L4 - 4 nouns that are related to both L1 and L7 or nouns that both have in common L5 - 3 verbs (present participle) that describe what L7 does L6 - 2 adjectives that describe L7 L7 - a noun which is the opposite (antonym) of the noun used in L1 elements brook clear, cool traveling, bubbling, cleansing earth, cosmos, biosphere, nature weighing, resisting, unmoving ancient, hard stone ~~ jvg Fire and Ice Hot fiery, red burns, scalds, hurts men, women, lovers, friends shudder, shiver, shake silent, alone cold. --Tony Veenpere Instant Poetry Forms for Kids

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Etheree is a popular internet verse form, it can be found mentioned at most sites that provide verse form descriptions. It is a simple progressive syllabic verse. Attributed to American poet Etheree Taylor Armstrong, it can be found at Poetry Base and Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Etheree are: a decastich. (10 line poem) syllabic, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 syllables per line. unrhymed. focused on 1 idea or subject. Etheree by Judi Van Gorder One subject to explore within ten lines, each avoiding rhyme. Sequential syllables, numbers run from one to ten creating a staircase of words for the expectant reader to climb. A popular verse from the internet. Double Etheree is 2 Etherees back to back making up one poem. The syllable count is 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Reverse Etheree is simply an Etheree turned upside down. The syllable count begins with 10 and sequentially runs thru 1. Twin Etheree is a doubling up on the lines of the Etheree and rhyming the couplets; this was introduced by Robert Crockett and found at Poetry Styles. The elements of the Twin Etheree are: a poem in 20 lines. syllabic, 1-1-2-2-3-3-4-4-5-5-6-6-7-7-8-8-9-9-10-10 syllables per line. rhymed, aabbccddeeffgghhiijj. The Andaree is an invented form similar to the Etheree accept it is always rhymed and it carries a diminishing then increasing syllable count. Created by Andrea Dietrich and found at Writers.com, the first line is repeated as the last line. The elements of the Andaree are: framed in 11 lines syllabic, L1 11 syllable and each line diminishes by 2 syllables until L6 which is only one syllable, then the lines increase by 2 syllables until L11 which is a repeat of L1 rhymed AabbcbcbbaA. composed with L1 repeated as L11. Lucky Charm Cliché it is to say I've lived a charmed life It's two times I've gone under the knife discarding threatening flesh the kind that won't mesh with good health Yes! what a wealth of chances, I'm blessed, taking on my days refreshed knowing that no one lives without strife Cliché it is to say I've lived a charmed life ~~Judi Van Gorder

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Harrisham Rhyme is a recent invented verse form named for its creator, Harrisham Minhas from Punjab, India. The elements of the Harrisham Rhyme are: a hexastich, a poem in six lines. written with meter or syllable count at the discretion of the poet. rhymed, ababab. written with sort of chain at the beginning of each line. The last letter of the first word of each line is the first letter of the first word of the next line. The first word of the poem may begin with any letter. Morning Stillness by Judi Van Gorder Silence all around even the birds hold their tune not a barking dog can be found time ticks toward noon ending the morning without a sound genuine quiet will end too soon.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Hexaduad is a syllabic rhymed verse form. One internet site states that this is an old English form but provides no history or example of the origin. Because counting syllables is not typical of old English writing and since I could find no evidence of this form in any of my many resources other than on a few internet sites, I suspect the Hexaduad is in fact a fairly recent invented form. The elements of the Hexaduad are: a poem in 12 lines made up of 6 rhymed couplets. syllabic, the lines of the 1st couplet has 2 syllables 2nd couplet has 6 syllables 3rd couplet has 8 syllables 4th couplet has 4 syllables 5th couplet has 6 syllables 6th couplet has 4 syllables rhymed, rhyme scheme aa bb cc dd ee ff Pier 39 by Judi Van Gorder Hustle, bustle, curious tourists judge kiosks, gift shops and fudge Tee shirts, pearls and coins in a trunk seafood, ice cream, coffee and junk diners are fed sour dough bread while winds from the bay blow. sea lions steal the show, their day begun laze in the sun. The Inverted Hexaduad is a modification of the Hexaduad in that it separates the syllable count of the lines making the couplets irregular and the 1st and last couplets are the same lines inverted in order. The elements of the Inverted Hexaduad are: a poem in 12 lines made up of 6 irregular rhymed couplets. syllabic, the syllable count of the lines are 2, 6, 8, 4, 6, 4, 4, 6, 4, 8, 6, 2, in that order. rhymed, the rhyme scheme is AA bb cc dd ee AA. The first and last couplets are the same only inverted in order. x A x x x x x A x x x x x x x b x x x b x x x x x c x x x c x x x d x x x x x d x x x e x x x x x x x e x x x x x A x A

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms Hexaverse (hexa = six / verse = line or unit of lines) by definition this invented form refers to six, six syllable lines. Examples of the form found on a couple of science fiction websites, display the Hexaverse to be a hexastich of 6 syllable lines. Describing each line being unique yet related to the other six. The elements of the Hexaverse are: a hexastich, a poem in 6 lines. syllabic, 6 syllable lines. unrhymed. Diminishing Hexaverse is an invented form which can be found in various poetry communities and blogs across the web without any reference to its source. Most use the same definition which strangely ignores the meaning of hexa and describe the form with only 5 stanzas, diminishing from 5 lines and 5 syllables each to 4 lines and 4 syllables each and so on ending in a single stich of 1 syllable. With that description the frame would better be termed a Diminishing Pentaverse. Finally I came upon a site that seems to me to get it right at Tir na nOg, diminishing from 6 lines of 6 syllables each to 5 lines of 5 syllables each and so on to a single stich of one syllable and my faith was restored. I have to believe the original concept began with the 6 line beginning and was somehow corrupted to only 5 stanzas along the way and the lemmings followed. The form is fine with 6 or 5 stanzas but it just makes more sense to me to use the correct terminology to reflect the frame used. The elements of the Diminishing Hexaverse are: a poem in diminishing 6 stanzas, made up of a sixain, followed by quintet, followed by a quatrain, followed by a tercet followed by couplet and ending in a single stich. syllabic, L1-L6 6 syllables each, L7-L11 5 syllables each, L12-L15 4 syllables each, L16-L18 3 syllables each, L19-L20 2 syllables each and finally L21 1 syllable. unrhymed. x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Increasing Hexaverse is the exact opposite of the Diminishing Verse. beginning with a single stich of 1 syllable and increasing lines and syllables per line ending with a 6 line, 6 syllable each stanza.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Mid-Swap is an invented verse form found at World of Poets and is attributed to Jenny Buzzard of England. The elements of the Mid-Swap are: an 18 line poem made up of 2 quatrains, a couplet, 2 more quatrains in that order. syllabic, lines of 8 syllables each. rhymed, A1abb ccdd A2A1 eeff - ggaA2 composed with 2 refrains. L1 is repeated as L10 and L9 is repeated as L18.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Mini-monoverse is a verse form with very short lines. Created by Emily Romano, this invented form can be found at several sites on the internet including Shadow Poetry and Poetic Constellations. The elements of the Mini-monoverse are: a decastich made up of 2 cinquains. A Double Min-monoverse is simply writing 4 cinquains. syllabic, 3 syllables each line. rhymed, each stanza is monorhymed. Rhyme scheme aaaaa bbbbb. If writing a Double Mini-monverse the rhyme scheme aaaaa bbbbb. A Double Mini-monoverse is aaaaa bbbbb ccccc ddddd. recommended as a narrative which I thought odd since longer lines usually are best for narratives. Once I tried the form my concerns were confirmed. Trite by Judi Van Gorder In the night sit to write, black on white a poem, Light Verse, not quite. In Rangoon, leggy lune trills a tune at the moon, word cartoon.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Nonet is a popular invented stanzaic form that can be found all over the internet. Both Poetry Base and Shadow Poetry feature it as well as several other poetic communities. The elements of the Nonet are: stanzaic, written in any number of 9 line stanzas. syllabic, 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 syllables per line. usually unrhymed. unidentified by judi van gorder tangled tight within brush and brambles crusted in grit and crushed dead leaves in a putrid pile of trash the color of clay mud a skeletal hand lying stone still suddenly flinches. Once

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Patrol Poem "is an accentual verse poem in three stanzas of four lines each." Rex Allen Brewer invented the form in response to an exercise in group study of Poet’s Companion. It was an exercise to create a new form, distinct by meter, rhyme and use of poetic devices. I include it here because the form is musical and representative of one of many small poetic communities popping up on the internet. The elements of the Patrol Poem are: a 12 line poem made up of 3 quatrains. accentual verse, giving importance to stress count. There are 4 stresses in each of the 4 lines of the first quatrain, 3 stresses in each of the 4 lines of the second quatrain and the stress count alternates stresses from 4, 3, 4, 3 in the third quatrain. rhymed, rhyme scheme is xaxa xbxb xcxc. x being unrhymed. composed with repetition of words as a criteria of this form. In each quatrain 1 word is repeated 4 times, anaphora (repetition of the first word of the line) may be employed to accomplish this goal. Advice to a Beginning Poet-Writer by Rex Allen Brewer Listen to your broken heart my friend; listen as the old folks speak; listen to the jay's tall tale; listen and learn before you speak. Write the simple stuff; write the common tale; write barefoot poetry; write to shape a spell. Learn to write with Glory words, words that soar and fight. You want words that sing and shout, words that dance all night. With Apologies by Judi Van Gorder Late, again and again and again! Late for school, the bell has rung, late for work, a client waits, late for mass, the Kyrie sung. I’m always a step behind, time seems to slip away, I find too much to do. . . delay, delay, delay. I am even late in dreams, I rush to be on time, I vow to change, be punctual, forever an uphill climb.

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Pleiades is an invented form that can be found all over the internet including Shadow Poetry. It is named for the star cluster, Pleiades of which 6 of the stars are visible to the naked eye and others visible under the right conditions. The constellation was identified by Homer, 750 B.C. and named by the ancients as the seven sisters. The poetic form uses the numbers of the cluster and legend. It was introduced by Craig Tigerman, Sol Magazine lead editor and enhanced by haiku and tanka poet Hortensia Anderson. The elements of the Pleiades are: a heptastich, a poem in 7 lines. syllabic, each line is 6 syllables. titled with a single word. composed with each line beginning with the same letter as the beginning letter of the title. Unprepared Uneducated, but utter ignorance is unacceptable, don't underestimate an ulcer corroding the upper tier of office, utmost caution applies. ~~Judi Van Gorder

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The Rictameter is a popular invented verse form that has popped up on the internet in the last decade. No one seems to take credit as the source. I did find that ShadowPoetry.com does have a slightly different element, in that the first and last 2 syllable word be the same. However, at various other sites, the first 2 syllables need not be a single word and the last 2 syllables need not be the same as the first 2 syllables. The elements of the Rictameter are: a 9 line poem. syllabic verse with graduated then diminishing number of syllables 2-4-6-8-10-8-6-4-2. optional: begin and end the poem with the same 2 syllable word or words. rhymed or unrhymed, if rhymed the scheme is at the discretion of the poet. suitable for light verse or a more serious tone. Listening by Judi Van Gorder 2-1-03 Silence, a hushed haven surrounds me with its song. An anthem of stillness, clean, clear, opening me to thoughtful reflection. Serene sounds of near nothingness rouse creativity, poetic tones emerge. Memo to Hotshot Judi Van Gorder 10/18/02 crackpot, what twisted thought brings you to stalk and slay without a care or least concern for the innocents you select to burn? to hide in search of unarmed prey will surely end some day and you in turn, forgot. in response to news reports of the New Jersey Sniper

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry Invented Forms The SciFaiku is what the name implies, science fiction haiku an invented verse form introduced by Tom Brinck in 1995. Scifaiku combines science fiction themes with some of the elements of the haiku. The elements of the Scifaiku are: minimal, in the moment with human insight. written with a haiku frame, normally, 17 syllables or less. The poem can be written in the classic 3 lines of 5-7-5 or a variation of line and syllable count. (because of the nature of the subject some technical words could exceed the standard syllable count per line, therefore, as long as minimal amount of words and syllables are used to get the point across, there could be more or less than 17 syllables in the poem. composed of a single concept or image. written with "uncluttered and direct words". written in the moment. finding the Ah-ha, light bulb realization through the understanding of the possibilities of science. poets dance with words cyber ballroom fills with song line dancing in space -judi van gorder