The Endecha is a " The Canción triste que encierra un lamento", ("sad song that locks up a moan"), a 16th century Spanish dirge or song of sorrow.

The Endecha is:

1. stanzaic, written in any # of quatrains.
2. syllabic, written with 7-7-7-11 syllables per line.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme xaxa xbxb etc., x being unrhymed. The rhyme is often consonance only but true rhyme may be used.
   
   Cold Forever
   
   It tears at my heaving breast
   and rips out my grieving heart,
   pain of losing him denies
   all memories, leaving me lost and apart.
   
   Precious promises ended,
   our never and our always
   lie cold inside his casket.
   I'm left behind to mourn my nights and my days.

--- Judi Van Gorder 10/2/06