Explore the Craft of Writing Light Verse French Verse
The Triolet
The word Triolet didn't appear until 1486, but the verse form can be traced back 13th century France. It is a member of the Rondeau family as distinguished by the rentrement. (the use of the first line or phrase of the line as a refrain.) The Triolet fell in and out of favor with French poets until the 19th century when it became part of the promotion of Romance Fixed Forms by Theodore de Banville. He promoted the form as playful or satirical.
One challenge of the form is in managing the intricate repetition of li