Saturday, February 15, 2014

Sunday Form Challenge ~ Quatern



A Quatern is a sixteen line French form composed of four quatrains. It is similar to the Kyrielle, which repeats line 4 as a refrain throughout the poem. However, with the Quatern, the refrain is in a different place in each quatrain. The first line of stanza one is the second line of stanza two, third line of stanza three, and fourth line of stanza four. A quatern has eight syllables per line. It does not have to be iambic or follow a set rhyme scheme.



Schema:

line 1
line 2
line 3
line 4

line 5
line 6 (line 1)
line 7
line 8

line 9
line 10
line 11 (line 1)
line 12

line 13
line 14
line 15
line 16 (line 1)

All lines have 8 syllables.



For those who prefer the Free Verse option of this challenge, please write to the theme of FOUR.

In keeping with the spirit of the mini-challenge, only new poems are called for as the post airs at noon on Saturday to allow extra time for the creative process.

Photo Credits:
Four people - photo credit: greekadman via photopin cc
Four glasses - photo credit: nickwheeleroz via photopin cc
Four horses - photo credit: Hindrik S via photopin cc

Source


19 comments:

Grace said...

Thanks for stretching our poetic muscles with this form Kerry ~

Happy weekend to everyone ~

Kerry O'Connor said...

Mine is a combo of prompts so I've linked it up here and on Margaret's prompt. My writing has slowed down somewhat this month.

hedgewitch said...

I've been wanting to dig my teeth into a form, Kerry, and I like the sound of this one. Thanks for finding it and explaining it so clearly. I will see if between now and tomorrow something bubbles up in the witchy cauldron--I, too have been rather stuck in the writing department of late.

Kathryn Dyche said...

Thanks for the challenge, something I'd never tried before.

Ella said...

Off to make tea my head is dancing with ideas or maybe it is those horses trotting on my head-lol.
Thank you Kerry! I am going to attempt this-I think I can...

brudberg said...

Ah.. mine is a little inspired by the prompt at dVerse to.. I love and dream of my mountain summers... hmm...

aspiritofsimplicity said...

oohhh...this was kind of hard. I decided just to have fun with it...and I was a little hungry

Sandra Cox said...

Challenging. I love the pics.

humbird said...

Not easy, but fun!

Hannah said...

Thank you, Kerry, this form worked out very well for an assignment that I needed to create for a writing/dance workshop tomorrow afternoon...I will post the resulting poem tomorrow evening.

So grateful, I loved working with the Quatern!!

Happy Sunday to all! :)

Gail said...

I really enjoy these. I learn much.
Thank you.

Gail said...

Thanks for head's up, Kelly. I appreciate it. Only way to learn.

Have a great day.

hedgewitch said...

I took a few liberties, with the refrain, and missed one syllable count, but hope that can be overlooked--enjoyed this much--back later to visit.

Fireblossom said...

I have done form again. Expect the End Times presently.

Helen said...

Great challenge Madam Toad! Leaving Los Angeles this evening with plenty of time to pond-er during the flight home!

Susan said...

It's not easy being Green. Happy Sunday to you all!

Margaret said...

I will submit mine Monday … busy with the family all weekend. (really, I'm not putting off the "form" challenge at all :)

Marian said...

i'm late, but really enjoyed this form, Kerry. thanks so much! i might post this for Monday too. as i haven't written anything else of late, grrr.

Margaret said...

…done. What sweet torture :)