Glosa or Glose, (to gloss or comment on) also called Retruécano (play on words) is a commentary or expansion on words usually written by another. This poetic genre can be written in two different frames, a formal fixed verse form and a stylized strophic verse.

A thematic statement known as la cabeza, (the head), mote (motto) or text, usually begins the poem and the poet then expands upon each line of that statement in the body of the poem. The mote is often a quote, written by someone other than the poet although it is perfectly permissible to write your own text. The genre was introduced in late 14th, early 15th century Spain by the court poets.

The formal Glosa or Glose as fixed verse form is:

1. written in five stanzas, a quatrain followed by four 10 line stanzas (Spanish 10 lines or less). The mote or text that opens the poem is usually a quatrain from another poem. It is often a redondilla.
2. (Spanish) syllabic, 8 syllable lines or (English) metered, iambic pentameter.
3. rhymed, (English rhyme in the 6th 9th and borrowed 10th line. Rhyme scheme ABCD xxxxxaxxaA xxxxxbxxbB xxxxxcxxcC xxxxxdxxdD. ABCD is the refrain established by the lines of the quatrain. x can either be unrhymed or rhymed at the discretion of the poet.) (Spanish A¹B ¹B²A² or A¹B ¹A²B² ababababA¹ cdcdcdcdB¹ ect.) or abbaabbaA ¹ cdcdcdcdB¹

The less formal Glosa or Glose as a stylized strophic verse is:

1. accentual verse (in the rhythm of everyday speech).
2. consisting of 2 parts
   a. Opening statement, a line or a short stanza that states the theme of the poem, ,
   b. The body of the poem is most often strophic, with one strophe of any number of lines for each line of the opening text. The strophe explains or expands on that line and then incorporates the line within the strophe, most often at the end as a refrain. The number of strophes or stanzas is determined by the number of lines in the opening text.
3. rhymed or unrhymed at the discretion of the poet.

Note: In both frames credit should be given to the text, cabeza or mote source when it is written by another. It can be done by footnote or can be identified in the poem itself, to the right and just below the title, usually in smaller font.

Chimes
^{" Prove all things,
hold fast that which is good."}
-------------- ^{1 Thessalonians 5:21
---------------------- King James Version}

Test the clarity
of the bell
and take heed
when the tocsin rings;
it will always serve you well
to study
and prove all things

in a world
of trickery and deceit,
the sound of truth
is often misunderstood,
its resonant tones
must repeat,
hold fast that which is good.
----- Judi Van Gorder
***

A Double Glosa can be written in either the formal or informal frame of the Glosa. In the informal frame the lines of the mote are repeated as a refrain twice in each strophe. AB xxxxxAxA BxxxxB (the placement of the 1st refrain may be anywhere in the strophe the 2nd refrain is usually the last line.) In the formal frame the refrain is repeated twice within the stanza. It is not specified but I assume it can be in addition to the rhyme of the L6 or it can be a replacement for the rhyme in L6. xxxxAaxxaA or xxxxxAxxaA.