Day 16 ~ How to Write a Tyburn Poem for “30 poems in 30 days" #NationalPoetryMonth

Day 16 ~ How to Write a Tyburn Poem for “30 poems in 30 days" #NationalPoetryMonth

You all have been doing great, so how about a doozy of a challenge today? OK, excellent! Hold onto your hats!! Woozier! This is beyond tricky, but I think y’all can have lots of fun with it. I’ve only used this format a few times. It really makes you think to create it. (OH, and if this discourages you – that is NOT my desire – just write any poem you choose and COME BACK TOMORROW because tomorrow is National Haiku Day and we will be writing some Haiku poetry). BUT today, I hope you will give this one a shot. It really stretches your skills as poets and writers (and thinkers). So . . .

Tyburn poems are deceiving in that to look at a completed poem, it appears simple enough. Yeah, right! But it’s a good writing exercise. I’ve tried to explain it step by step and even created a little chart to help you out. Plus there are a couple of websites that help with description and rhyming that I think you will find useful.(And below I have created a little chart to help you out).

Here we go:

We are back to counting syllables and lines. This is a SIX-LINE poem and the first 4 lines are EACH a SINGLE DESCRIPTIVE WORD with TWO SYLLABLES, that all RHYME and make sense together. Phew!! We’re not done . . .

The last two lines (5 & 6) are EACH NINE SYLLABLES LONG, and Line 5 incorporates the first two of the words of the poem while Line 6 incorporates the next two of the words of the poem IN A SPECIFIC PLACE.

Line 5 will have 4 syllables (any word count, just FOUR syllables) and then the repeated words from lines 1 and 2 and then . . .

Line 6 has 4 syllables (any word count, just FOUR syllables) and then the repeated words from lines 3 and 4 . . .

AND then each line ENDS with just ONE word – with only ONE syllable and they have to rhyme with each other (but do not need to rhyme with lines 1-4).

So, if you choose a word that ends in “y” to start off your poem – they will all probably need to end in “y” and if you choose an “ing” ending word, then they will all need to end with “ing” (that’s just for lines 1-4). Better look at the examples AND the chart!

You can give this poem a title if you wish.

I know you can do it!! Cheers!!

Here is an example I found on the web – it’s rather light-hearted and cute:

PEANUT BUTTER

Nutty,

Sticky,

Crunchy,

Tasty,

Peanut butter, nutty, sticky spread

With jellied bread, crunchy, tasty fed

                                       © 2016 Charles Sides  

Handy little site to find some “Describing Words” ~ https://describingwords.io/ ~ just plug the word you want to describe and then click the search button.

This site not only helps you find rhyming words, but it separates them into 1 syllable words, 2 syllable words, etc. https://www.rhymer.com/ - RHYMER

This poetry form can be labor-intensive – but following the process creates such a great little poem. But, please forgive me if I don’t write new examples this year. I’ve got SO much on my plate right now.

Okay, here is my first one:

Poetry

 

Lyric

Cryptic

Magic

Epic

Poetry month, lyric, cryptic, jots

Share emotions, magic, epic thoughts

                                    © 2019 Stephanie Abney

 

Hope this little chart that I created proves helpful ~

And after my second example, below the chart, I outline, step-by-step, my thought process in writing one of my examples: Maybe that will help as well.

 

# of syllables per line	Rhyming pattern	Meter & where to repeat words	Hints of what should be used per line
2	A	aa	One word adjective with 2 syllables
2	A	bb	Different one word adjective with 2 syllables
2	A	cc	Different one word adjective with 2 syllables
2	A	dd	Different one word adjective with 2 syllables
9	B	xxxxaabbB	Any four syllables then aa, bb, single syllable word
9	B	xxxxccddB	Any four syllables then cc, dd, single syllable word

Tyburn Poetic Form Chart © 2019 Stephanie Abney

Here is my second one:

Satan

Cunning

Lying

Cheating

Tempting

Heartless trickster, cunning, lying, doled

Flattering lies, cheating, tempting, cold

                                                © 2019 Stephanie Abney

My “thought process” while I tried to figure it out: So, first I made a list of some adjectives (“ing” words) – more than I needed and then another list that could be used in lines 5 & 6 – then I started playing around with it, crossed off the words I didn’t want to use, which left me with 4 descriptive words and then I created lines 5 & 6, incorporating the words from lines 1 & 2 and lines 3 & 4, respectively:

Satan

Cunning

Charming

Lying

Raging

Cheating

Sneaking

Tempting

 

Words to possibly use in lines 5 & 6: Crafty, jealous, avenging, heartless, destructive, destroy, destroying, bitter, conniving, flatter, flattery, cowardly, trickster, tricking, tricky, malicious, deceitful, cold, sneaky, creepy, creep, reap, reaper, damned, persistent, tenacious, dangerous, rob, steal, louse, angry, anger

And I posted the finished product from this effort just under the chart.

READY? Go try this one out!! Cheers!!

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work, and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work and the creative work of others.