Friends! This weekend in the Garden, let’s try a short form that’s less fussy and more adorable. It’s called the TRICUBE and the rules are super-simple: Each line contains three syllables, Each stanza contains three lines, and Each poem contains three stanzas.
That’s it! Except to say that the fun, mathematical tricube was created by Phillip Larrea.
Let’s try it. Three… two… one… Go!
Hello
Toads! For our little form challenge today, let’s try invoking the rule of
three in a form that allows for poems that are short or longer--the TERZA RIMA.
We’ve played with three in the Garden plenty of times--think triolet or
sevenling--but I don’t think we’ve tackled this form directly. It also follows
nicely from the chained rhyme we worked on last time, so let’s dig in.
The
terza rima has a long pedigree, having been created by Dante for The Divine
Comedy, but it is really quite simple in concept. Perhaps that is why it is so
long-lasting. It is a series of interlocking three-line stanzas in which the
end rhyme in the second line provides the rhyme for the first and third lines
of the next, like this: A-B-A, B-C-B, C-D-C and so on, to your
heart’s content.
Another famous example of terza rima with which you may be familiar:
“Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost
I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain—and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane. I have passed by the watchman on his beat And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.
I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet When far away an interrupted cry Came over houses from another street,
But not to call me back or say good-bye; And further still at an unearthly height, One luminary clock against the sky
Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right I have been one acquainted with the night.
Usually
the terza rima is written in iambic pentameter, but this is not required. It is
suggested that the lines be the same length or syllable count, but again, not
imperative. There is no limit to the number of stanzas one might include in a
terza rima. One can write a terza rima sonnet as Robert Frost did above, like
this: A-B-A, B-C-B, C-D-C, D-E-D, E-E
Academy of American Poets has a longer article at poets.org about terza rima that may be interesting or helpful: ARTICLE
As a sweet-special and totally inspiring added bonus, I found audio of dearest Adrienne Rich reading her poem titled “Terza Rima,” which flies far afield from the form and, of course, amazes: AUDIO
And here is a review of Arts of the Possible, Adrienne Rich's collection in which this poem appears: REVIEW
Greetings from the land of exile, toads and April poetry
participants, hedgewitch here. I am currently engaged in some issues that are keeping me from
writing regularly, so this year I am not doing a poem a day during this
month. However, I am popping in today to
hopefully give some inspiration to those who are. As always, feel free to scroll down to the section "Particulars of The Challenge" at the bottom if you find my tendency to babble on about things is getting too overwhelming.
~*~
Today on the third Sunday of April, I'd like you to
consider the possibilities of the number three.
There are all kinds of literary references to this potent number,
fromthe three-part riddle of the sphinx to Shakespeare'sthree weird sisters, to trilogies like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
There are also plenty of examples of the number three in myth and religions: the Three Norns who care for the World Tree and weave the tapestry of men's fates, The Three Graces, the Christian Holy
Trinity as well as various other triune deities and Triple Goddesses.
Norns Weaving, illus. by Arthur Rackham
Detail, Three Graces, from Primavera by Sandro Botticelli
One could also explore the significance of the number three in the Tarot or numerology.
3 of Swords, 1919 Rider-Waite Tarot deck
Particulars of the Challenge:
The idea of three can appear in any form and in any association in your poem: three objects, as in the floating heads shown in the painting by Odilon Redon below, three places, events, people, states of mind, directions, colors, or whatever, as long as you incorporate the number as a meaningful element of your piece.
The Sleep of Caliban, by Odilon Redon
Alternatively, for those who like to work in that style, you could also employ one of the many poetic forms which utilize the concept of three--like the tercet, the triolet, the terza rima, or perhaps the sevenling, which
uses groups of three in specific relationships. Kerry has also done a mini-challenge which contains more information about three line forms.
However you want to explore poetry to the third power,
please feel free to do so. Then link up
below and give your fellow participants some visiting and commenting love.
All images here are in the public domain, so feel free to borrow them if you'd like, with proper attribution.
