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Monday, April 14, 2014

Monday Poetry Stretch - Lai

The Lai is a French syllabic verse form consisting of one or more stanza of nine lines with two rhymes, though the rhyme can vary from stanza to stanza. Here are features of the form.
  • 9 lines.
  • Rhyme scheme is a-a-b-a-a-b-a-a-b.
  • Lines ending with rhyme a are five syllables in length.
  • Lines ending with rhyme b are two syllables in length.
You can read more about this form and its variants at Poetry Form - The Lai. You can read an example at The Poet's Garret.

So, the challenge for the week is to write a lai. Won't you join us? Please share a link to your poem or the poem itself in the comments.

3 comments:

  1. Spring Wind

    Spring wind tangles trees,
    tries grasping our sleeves,
    thieving.

    She settles, then heaves.
    She shows her sharp teeth,
    seething.

    She curls around leaves,
    at last falls asleep,
    breathing.

    —Kate Coombs, 2014
    all rights reserved

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  2. FIDO
    Fido wants my food,
    Barking, being rude
    Greedy.

    He’s in a foul mood,
    Growling, panting, crude
    Needy.

    Leaping on me, dude,
    Licking my plate, shrewd
    Speedy.

    (c) Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

    ReplyDelete