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Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry
Spanish Verse

The Pregunta (Spanish for question) was a popular form of "poetic debate" of the Spanish court poets of the 14th and 15th centuries. It is a kind of Spanish version of the French Débat.

In the Pregunta, one poet would pose a question in poetic form, usually on the theme of religion or philosophy, the frame of which including number of lines, meter and rhyme were at the poet's discretion. An answer to the posed question would be given by another or even more than one poet using exactly the same frame or structure as the inquiring poem including the same rhymes, not just rhyme scheme but rhyme words. Occasionaly when a poet could not duplicate the rhymed words identically he would excuse himself.

I would imagine that the evolution of this form would be a simple question answer poem by a single poet. Keeping the spirit of what appears to have been a court competition in the original Pregunta, the poet could write both the question and answer using an identical frame and for the purist, identical rhyme words.

  1. One poet writes a question in a short poem using a specific frame with rhyme.
  2. The frame can be an already established form or one you create.
  3. A second and/or third poet responds with an answer to the question.
  4. The frame of the 2nd and/or 3rd poems must be the same as the question poem.
  5. The answer poems not only carry the same rhyme scheme but if you want to test your skills also carry the same rhyme words.

Here is an attempt at the Pregunta.  I posted a request for a question in poetic form in the Playground at this site and Frank E Gibbard responded with a question and I responded using the same structure. 

From Frank;
A simple uncomplex question not to vex
this forum I propose, Shall any one
prove poetic fiber in Tink's annex?
Philosophical "pregunta," can it be fun
Or alcoholic adjunct? Aye there's a rub
I like to play Shakespeare back from the pub.

My Response:
Reply in time may perplex, even vex
a less talented poet. But you are one
who's at home in this playhouse annex.
Questions range from sublime to silly fun.
Glass of Cabernet could add taste to the rub
though this tome would send Shakey to a pub.

~~ © ~~ Poems by Judi Van Gorder ~~

For permission to use this work you can write to Tinker1111@icloud.com

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