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Poetics

Jeanette Oestermyer

Popular Traditional Forms – Some Modernized

When we think of traditional poetry forms, the sestina, villanelle, kyrielle, ballade, pantoum, rondeau and many others come to mind. These are some of the older forms that are still being written. Some of these forms are being updated, revised, modernized, or whatever term is used—but they are being ‘changed’—it’s as simple as that. So, are they still the traditional forms they were before this contemporary trend? In his book, Patterns of Poetry, An Encyclopedia of Forms, Miller Williams says the sestina is the most popular of the traditional poems that are written today, probably followed by the villanelle.

The sestina in its original state was not rhymed—a strict rule. In the last several years, the rhymed sestina has appeared, especially in contests. I have found that often there is a category for this new version of the sestina.

This form was developed by a Provencal troubador, Arnaut Daniel, and employed by medieval French and Italian poets. This one consisted of six stanzas of blank verse, each of six lines, followed by a three-line stanza. The final words of each of the six lines of the first stanza were written in a prescribed, but varied order in the next five stanzas. In the final stanza, or envoi, key words are repeated in the middle and at the end of the lines, summarizing the poem, or dedicating it to a specific individual. In the pattern shown below, each end word is represented by a number; the words shift in order through the sestets in the sequence indicated.

Stanza 1 - End-word numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Stanza 2 - End-word numbers: 6, 1, 5, 2, 4, 3
Stanza 3 - End-word numbers: 3, 6, 4, 1, 2, 5
Stanza 4 - End-word numbers: 5, 3, 2, 6, 1, 4
Stanza 5 - End-word numbers: 4, 5, 1, 3, 6, 2
Stanza 6 - End-word numbers: 2, 4, 6, 5, 3, 1

This is the way I learned to write a sestina.

Most poets still conform to the original sequence of end words. But what would the developer of the form, Arnaut Daniel, think if he could read the way the sestina has been changed? Perhaps the rhymed version should be given a different name. Today, it is usually called simply, ‘a rhymed sestina.’

The villanelle has also come under some varied changes. Instead of true, or perfect rhyme, it is being written in slant rhyme or a combination of both. There are some recent poets who write the form without any rhyme—a kind of free-verse villanelle. The slant and true rhymes are favored by most poets. Slant rhyme is not new—if we read Emily Dickinson’s work, we find she often used this poetic device—it was one of her favorites. She was once quoted as saying; ‘write in rhyme, but rhyme it slant.’

The ballade is another well-known verse form created in France during the 14th and 15th centuries. The form was brought to England by Geoffrey Chaucer. The English version contains three stanzas of eight lines each and a four-line envoy (a short concluding stanza). Only three rhymes are used throughout. The rhyme scheme for the longer stanzas is a, b, a, b, b, c, b, C, with ‘C’ indicating a refrain. The envoy rhymes b, c, b, C. All lines use the same meter and length (usually iambic or anapestic tetrameter), and the refrain occurs in each stanza. The envoy is a summary or dedication addressed to a person.

The ballade Supreme is one of several variations of the form. It employs three stanzas of ten lines each, rhyming a, b, a, b, b, c, c, d, c, D. A five-line envoy rhymes c, c, d, c, D. This is noted as a variation of the ballade, and not a contemporary change.

Then there is the haiku, which formerly followed the Japanese tradition of a syllable count of five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line and five in the third line. After it was decided that the English language and the Japanese language syllables were not the same in length, haiku in English was changed to a poem of no more than seventeen syllables, distributed to the poets liking. The English language version still adheres to other rules such as: it must capture a moment in time and should have a slight twist or turn at the end that reverts to the first line.

The ode is one form that tends to have many different forms. The ode is described as a longer, perhaps more elaborate poem of the lyric form—a general kind. The word derives from the Greek meaning—to sing. It describes a ceremonious lyric poem on an occasion of public or private celebration. It is noted to have exaltation of feeling and style. The best-known Greek composer of odes is almost certainly Pindar.

The sonnet is one poetic form that has stood the test of time and will still win raves for many more centuries to come. They are still written by many contemporary poets, and the line count of fourteen is the most consistent feature of all.

In poet Ann Gasser’s book, Awakening the Poet Within, there are fifteen different sonnets listed—from the Shakespearian to the Terza Rima sonnets. Ann also invites her readers to create their own sonnet and to give it a name, preferably their own individual name. So, why not be ingenious and try inventing your own sonnet—your brain child—and give it your name.