We are over the hump, day 16! Today I am exploring the Terzanelle. For starters, isn’t it a lovely word to say…Terzanelle. 🙂 It is a combination of the Villanelle and the Terza Rima poetry forms.
A 19-line poem consisting of five interlocking triplets/tercets, the last stanza is a
quatrain with the first and third lines of the first triplet appearing as refrains. The middle line of each triplet is repeated, reappearing as the last line of the succeeding triplet with the exception of the center line of the next-to-the-last stanza which appears in the quatrain.
Yikes! Sounds complicated, but it’s not. Seeing it in diagram will hopefully dispel any confusion. The rhyme and refrain scheme for the triplets is as follows:
1. A
2. B
3. A
4. b
5. C
6. B
7. c
8. D
9. C
10. d
11. E
12. D
13. e
14. F
15. E
Ending Type 1:
16. f
17. A
18. F
19. A
Ending Type 2:
16. f
17. F
18. A
19. A
Each line of the poem should be the same metrical length.
Spring Longing
I remember you in spring
When the rose bush bursts in bloom
I remember you in springIts sweet fragrance heavy looms
The soft breeze caressing me
When the rose bush bursts in bloomWaves of longing crushing me
Your breath dusting my warm skin
The soft breeze caressing meBreaking my heart once again
Do you ever think of us?
Your breath dusting my warm skinLove’s refrain fades in the dust
Oh to hear your voice again
Do you ever think of us?Can’t accept this bitter end
Oh to hear your voice again
I remember you in spring
I remember you in springkat ~ 16 April 2016
like mercury colliding... 
April 16th, 2016 at 1:08 pm
Love this one, I’m going to have to give this form a try 🙂
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April 16th, 2016 at 2:18 pm
It’s really a nice form Mandi. And you decide how many syllables per line. It can be short or long as long as you use the same number of syllables per line. 🙂
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April 16th, 2016 at 2:57 pm
This form of poetry could be the basis for song lyrics, don’t you think? Yours is very nice and pleasing to read.
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April 16th, 2016 at 5:16 pm
Thanks Kathryn. I think some of the forms definitely do have a lyrical quality, especially the ones calling for rhyme. 😊
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April 18th, 2016 at 10:24 am
I love seeing these new forms you are introducing and your wonderful work!
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April 18th, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Thank you Lynn! I am learning so much this month! 🙂
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April 18th, 2016 at 12:05 pm
It is cool!
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April 18th, 2016 at 12:04 pm
[…] more information please visit Shadow Poetry. Many thanks to Kat from Like Mercury Colliding for demonstrating the Terzanelle form. Read her Terzanelle in the link […]
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