Seguidilla

[Tinker]

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry
Spanish Verse

The Seguidilla began as a popular dance song of Spain. The verse form was established and branched into variations by the 17th century. It has an alternating long short rhythm.

The elements of the Seguidilla are:

1. stanzaic, written in any number of 2 part septets. (7 lines)
2. syllabic, 7-5-7-5 : 5-7-5 per line. There is a slight pause between L4 and L5 suggesting L4 should be end-stopped.
3. rhymed by assonance xaxabxb or xaxabab. x being unrhymed. True rhyme is generally not used.
4. composed with a volta or change in thought between L4 and L5.
5. sometimes serves as a conclusion for another verse.

   Pase Doble by Judi Van Gorder
   
   The rapid click of slick heels
   pounding on the boards,
   play a staccato death knell
   for life never mourned.
   The red of his cape,
   a splash of blood on the floor,
   the matador's fate. .