Quintilla

[Tinker]

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry
Spanish Verse

The Quintilla is a 16th century Spanish quintain with a rhyme scheme that is more about what cannot be done than what can be done.

The elements of the Quintilla are:

1. syllabic verse, octasyllabic (8 syllable lines)
2. stanzaic, written in any number of quintains (5 line stanzas).
3. rhymed. In each quintain only 2 rhymes can be used and it cannot end in a rhyming couplet.
4. There is choice of rhyme schemes of ababa, abbab, abaab, aabab, or aabba
5. when written as a decastich, (2 quintillas) the verse is known as Copla Real

   El Viejo by Judi Van Gorder

   The ancient cur begins to rise
   ignoring stiff, defiant bones.
   Foolishly focused on the prize,
   his awkward pounce elicits groans.
   To snub one's age, not always wise.