Friday, April 4, 2014

DAY FOUR "Quatrain Poem" for "30 Poems in 30 Days"



So, for Day 4, I figure we should write a poem that has FOUR lines!! Right?
Lots of poems fit that requirement but we will do a “quatrain” today. Obviously, it has four lines. (Tomorrow we will do a cinquain, which has five lines and is one of my all-time favorite poetry forms. Then we will stop messing with trying to match the lines with whatever day it is). 

OKAY, enough chatter. Here’s what you need to know about a “quatrain poem” ~ 

Each quatrain has four lines with a specific rhyming pattern, BUT there are lots of rhyming patterns out there. Basically, depending on which source you check, ANY of 12 patterns can work, but the lines with ending words that rhyme SHOULD have the same number of syllables as each other. The most common are AAAA, AABB and ABAB. 

SO, if lines 1 & 3 rhyme. And lines 2 & 4 rhyme, that would be an ABAB rhyming pattern. Rhyming lines should have the same number of syllables. 

OR, if lines 1 & 2 rhyme. And lines 3 & 4 rhyme, that would be an AABB rhyming pattern. Rhyming lines should have the same number of syllables.

The actual “quatrain” is ONE verse – but you can always string a bunch of them together to create a “quatrain poem” which can have any number of quatrains in it, including just one.  

In fact, you most likely already have a quatrain poem memorized. “Roses are Red” would be a prime example of a quatrain. 

You can also use an AAAA, an AABB, or AABA, or BBCB, or basically whatever – but the ending words should rhyme with each other in one pattern or another and whichever ones rhyme with each other, should have the same number of syllables. 


It may sound like a lot to think about but most Nursery Rhymes are quatrains, as are many hymns – it’s not that hard ~ give it a shot.

If for some reason, you DO want to complicate things – you can check out the NUMEROUS variations found on this website: http://www.thepoetsgarret.com/quatrain.html 


EXAMPLES:

He drew a circle that shut me out--
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.


--Edwin Markham (American Poet, April 23, 1852 – March 7, 1940) 


Most of Emily Dickinson’s poems were made up of quatrains.
 

Here’s my attempt for Day 4 ~ It has an AABB pattern and lines 1 & 2 are 8 syllables while lines 3 & 4 are 7 syllables:

   
   You wonder where I’ve been all day. 
   I must admit, it’s hard to say. 
   Over here and over there. 
   I guess I’ve been everywhere. 
       © 2014 Stephanie Abney  

OKAY - create away - YOUR TURN!!

8 comments:

Jewelianna said...

The Librarian in Your Mind

Take care of your mind, and safeguard your thoughts.
Success will require such diligence.
If you want to achieve all your dreams, schemes, and plots,
It’s not just left up to intelligence.

There is a devoted librarian
Attentive to your attitude.
So be a staunch disciplinarian
If failure, you want to elude

If you think that you can’t, she’ll back you up
From your archives of all your past failing.
She’ll provide you a personal wallop,
Your own slander, reviling, and railing.

A positive archive also exists
With truth of your infinite worth.
Remember that when a bad thought persists
To give it a wide enough berth.

There is a librarian in your mind
She answers to your beck and call
If you want to live the life you designed
Think positive thoughts, overall.

Stephanie Abney said...

Excellent, Julie!! You're such a great writer.

Michele Baer said...

Here's one:

The thing that often gets me down
is people who just always frown.
I wish that they could see the truth
A smile reflects the joys of youth!

Sunnymesareliefsociety said...

I read your post this morning
Quatrains are really quite boring
so I settled for a Dew
and thought about Drew

I'm going to a funeral in Phoenix
I'm taking a boat load of Kleenex
so don't spend your time crying
its just a small part of dying

I really like twin trains better. There is easier!

Anonymous said...

Brother, I know your intentions are true
You believe in your cause and what you do
I’ll watch for you on the battlefield
And if I must choose, I’ll choose to yield

Tanya Parker Mills said...

Oops. Almost missed one.

As I wrote here all through the day,
I somehow missed, forgot my way,
Until at night in midst of thought,
A poem, I realized, I'd forgot.

Stephanie Abney said...

These are all great! Thanks everyone. Hope you are enjoying our Poetry Challenge!! Cheers!!

Vicki said...

I recently wrote this poem, loosely based on Dr Seuss's style to honor one of my co-workers who was retiring.

Oh the things we could say
As Sylvia leaves us today
Make us sad make us crabby
Make us shout "No Way"!

But she's going to leave
There's no trick up her sleeve
So we have to say "Par-Tay"!
And that you will need to believe!