Contents

Introduction
Rime Couée
Standard Habbie
Short Particular Measure
Couplets
Stave Stanza
Envelope Couplet
Italian Sestet
Sicilian Sestet
Spanish Sestet
Wordsworth Sestet

Introduction

In his Book of Forms, Lewis Turco lists over a dozen forms of six line poetry. Several of them are well known to Sonnet writers and are considered by most simply to be a turn or shift in argument.
Very few poets today think of these forms as a poetry form in itself.
The Welsh and Irish have several examples of six line poetry as aficionados will quickly attest and there are also several Oriental forms as well. Again most poets do not consider these forms when writing.
What I am suggesting is that these forms be considered as an alternative form for a ballad, or a love poem, or a Gothic story, or perhaps something after the fashion of a Pindaric Ode.
The stage is yours please consider what I say.

back to list

Rime Couée

This is a French form consisting of two rhymes. First there is a rhyming couplet of normally of eight syllables then a third and shorter line. There is another couplet that rhymes with the first one and the sixth, shorter line that rhymes with the third line. This gives us a suggested pattern :

x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x b
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x b

back to list

Burns Stanza, or Standard Habbie

In this form Burns makes the first three lines rhyme and the fifth. The fourth and sixth lines become the second rhyming pair.
The pattern is thus....
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x b
x x x x x x x a
x x x x x b

His famous poem dedicated To a Mouse on Turning up her Nest With a Plough.
Wee sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an chase thee,
Wi murdering pattle!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
An justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion.
An fellow mortal!

back to list

Short Particular Measure

In this form the first two lines have three Iambic feet or six syllables. The next line has four Iambic feet or eight syllables. The next three lines are the same. It will be seen that it seems to be the exact opposite of the Rime Couée.
The pattern is thus:

x x x x x a
x x x x x a
x x x x x x x b
x x x x x a
x x x x x a
x x x x x x x b

back to list

Couplets

The use of couplets for sestets are so well documented it is not proposed to go any further, except to mention that Heroic couplets are those written in Iambic Pentameter.

As the seasons wax and wane
One years loss is another's gain,
Because Nature balances out with time
So that nothing can out climb.
All things are equal we must learn,
A balanced life is our main concern.

Ryter Roethicle

back to list

Stave Stanza

A variation of just using Couplets is the Stave Stanza where the last line is a Refrain for all the subsequent stanzas for a three stanza work would be: a. a. b. b. c. C. ... d. d. e. e. c. C. ... f. f. g. g. c. C.

Joy

CLEAR joy flows freely through my veins,
a river of champagne that reigns
and tickles in my mouth and nose;
it won’t be long, then we’ll be close!
Bubbles of happiness I feel,
no longer dreamt of, but now real.

My step is light, my smile is warm,
today I weather any storm,
no hail or thunder frightens me,
because your sun is all I see;
its soothing touch I’ll always feel,
no longer dreamt of, but now real.

Each night I ask the stars and moon
to take my kisses to you soon;
when they return next starlit night,
they give to me their peaceful light.
It is your love that I then feel,
no longer dreamt of, but now real.

Leny Roovers

back to list

Envelope Couplet

A far stricter variation of the Stave Stanza is where the first and last line use the same Refrain this leaves only the centre couplet to change. The pattern for a three stanza work would be: A. a. b. b. a. A.... A.a. c. c. a. A.... A.a. d. d. a. A....

The Night Is Dark

THE night is dark and you're alone.
In fear you hear the night beasts moan
See the shadows move on the wall
Spine chilling as the white wolves call
In fear you cringe as beasties groan
The night is dark and you're alone.

The night is dark and you're alone.
Too late now courage is overthrown
And evil wagers for your soul
His creatures waiting for his call
With slavering jaws that can crush bone
The night is dark and you're alone.

The night is dark and you're alone.
In terror you reach for the phone
The phone is dead the line is down
Isolated from any town
You are reaping what you have sown
The night is dark and you're alone.

 Ryter Roethicle

back to list

Italian Sestet

The revised version (after Spenser) uses Iambic Pentameter and a rhyme scheme of a.b. c. a.b. c.. The original version had no set meter.

The music is softer now, thinking of you
Even more the wine has softened the mood
My eyes are ready to close it's the end of day
There is just one final act I have to do
Enough of life today I have viewed
My last thought "I love you" I have to say

 Ryter Roethicle

back to list

Sicilian Sestet

Like the Italian the revised version of the Sicilian Sestet uses Iambic Pentameter and a rhyme scheme of a.b. a.b. a.b., and like the Italian the original version had no set meter.

In my minds eye I see you everywhere
Each waking moment steals my time
In thoughts so different to what was there
Now so natural now to think thatI'm
Thinking about someone for who I care
Someone to me who's become sublime.

 Ryter Roethicle

back to list

Spanish Sestet or Sextilla

This form gives us a bit of variety. Each line has eight syllables, but we can have a rhyme scheme of: a. a. b. c. c. b. , or alternatively, a.b. b. a.c. c. The second one is a mirror image of the first.

I SIT and play as life goes by
Questioning fate and asking why?
Why do some draw a useless card?
Some others lives are so easy
Against their ace we draw a three
What is it that makes living hard?

 Ryter Roethicle

back to list

Wordsworth Sestet

Wordsworth uses Iambic Pentameter and a rhyme scheme of, a.b. b. c. a. c., in his Sonnet about London and being such a superb Volte it is capable of standing on it's own.

Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart;
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,
So didst thou travel on life's common way,
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay.

William Wordsworth

back to list



Any Comments or Suggestions, please email me

Return To The Poets Garret