So I haven’t done much on my blog the past few weeks (the whole month actually); a few posts here and there and not yet started working on other things I had planned to. On the other hand, I was reveling in the things I was doing (my QAing of course, along with a couple other pending tasks at home) and then the nothings! And I realized I was simply doing repeats of things similar to nothings when I saw my Sunday Scribblings post around the same time last year, which has the title The Need to Fill Empty Spaces!
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Poetic Sundays: The Triolet Repeats Itself
This week has one of those cool national days.. National Repetition Day; and while I mention many here even while wondering why they merit a day of their own, on the other hand, I also feel that it makes the ordinary worth celebrating, and gives us something to celebrate everyday! Which is I guess the whole reason these weird but cool days exist! Anyway, why did I talk about repetition day? Since that leads me to today’s poetic form – the triolet, which is pretty full of well, repetitions!
What is the Triolet Poetic Form? And What Repeats Within It?
The triolet is an old French verse form of eight-lines with a rhyme scheme of ABaAabAB, that is, the poem begins and ends with the same two lines, with the first line repeated once more in the middle as well.
The Triolet Poetic Form’s Characteristics
So the triolet’s elements are that at its most basic, it is:
- stanzaic: a poem of eight-lines (though I have seem examples of linked triolets as part of a bigger poem)
- rhymed: rhyme scheme of ABaAabAB
- refrained: the first and second lines are repeated again as the seventh and eighth lines of the poem, while the first line is additionally the fourth line of the poem as well
So this is how it looks
L1: A
L2: B
L3: x…xa (rhymes with 1st line)
L4: A (first line)
L5: x…xa (rhymes with 1st line)
L6: x…xb (rhymes with 2nd line)
L7: A (first line)
L8: B (second line)
Tips
- Based on the rules for the form, you can see that with its repeats and rhyming structure, it only really has five lines. And the first two lines can set the tone and carry the poem completely given their repetition within those eight lines. So, get a great couplet that you can work with, and you have your triolet!
- So, as I said above, start with a strong couplet. Now place that in its appropriate positions on the page, that is, L1, L2, L4 (repeats L1), L7 and L8 (repeat of L1 and L2)
- Next insert the remaining three lines to flow with the refrain lines and you are done.
- Play with the form. Note that the lines that repeat can still be made different while being almost identical. Add/remove/move punctuation to change the meaning; you know that can make a whole lot of difference!
- You could also choose to use homonyms. While I have not chosen to use the homonym for that word in my poem below, the word ‘matter’ could be used a couple different ways if you so choose!
My Attempt at Repeats
Moments & Matters
What matters most in life, you see –
Is to make every moment matter
And that’s perfectly fine for me.
What matters most? In life you see
ups and downs, things tough and easy..
But drown away all that chatter (for)
what matters most in life, you see –
Is to make every moment matter…
~ vidya tiru @ ladyinreadwrites
Note: my triolet twists the rules a bit. As you can see, line four is identical to line one as far as words on the line, but it is not an identical sentence. And I have seen a few examples like that across, so I am guessing that creative take on the form is fine and good…
Recently
At Home and On My Blog
Well, looks like I am still repeating myself. This week, I have no one else to blame but myself. I had work, yes, but I also lost myself in books and a couple of shows I had been wanting to watch for a while now. So, there it is, repeating myself saying I need to catch up.
On the other hand, we also reveled in the everyday, even the nothings. After literally two decades of constantly thinking about it, we finally visited the Municipal Rose Gardens at San Jose (they proclaim themselves to be the best rose garden in America, and while I might be biased, these gardens might certainly deserve this claim to fame!)
Upcoming
On My Blog & Homefront
It is my high-schooler’s last week of school as a sophomore. And then she will be busy with dance rehearsals for the annual dance show at her dance school the following week. After that, well, camps…And my DH and I celebrate another wedding anniversary next Sunday!
As for on the blog: this is it – the week I get to doing all the things I had been talking about!
Celebrations This Week For Us
Literary Celebrations (close-to-it also!)
- Literary birthdays this week include: Countee Cullen on the 30th of May; Lynne Truss and Walt Whitman on May 31st; Colleen McCullough on June 1st; Thomas Hardy and Dorothy West on June 2nd; Allen Ginsberg and Larry McMurtry on the 3rd of June; Robert Fulghum on June 4th; Ken Follett, Rick Riordan, and Gayle Forman on the 5th of June
- Not sure if this fits here. But it is National Speak in Sentences Day on the 31st of May.
- And this one- June 1st is National Penpal Day
Foodie Celebrations
- It is National Mint Julep Day on the 30th of May
- followed by National Macaroon Day on the 31st
- The month of June starts off with National Hazelnut Cake Day and National Olive Day as well as World Milk Day
- National Rocky Road Day is on the 2nd of June
- The 3rd of June is National Chocolate Macaroons Day, National Egg Day, and National Doughnut Day (this last one is celebrated on the first Friday in June)
- June 4th is National Cheese Day as well as National Cognac Day
- The 5th of June National Gingerbread Day, National Moonshine Day, and National Veggie Burger Day
Other Celebrations
- National Creativity Day and National Hole In My Bucket Day on the 30th
- And National Smile Day as well as World Parrot Day on the 31st of May
- June kicks off with National Heimlich Maneuver Day, National Go Barefoot Day, and National Say Something Nice Day as well as World Reef Awareness Day on the 1st. It also happens to Global Day of Parents
- The 2nd of June is National Bubba Day
- June 3rd is World Bicycle Day. Chimborazo Day, and National Repeat Day
- June 3rd is World Bicycle Day. Chimborazo Day, and National Repeat Day
- While the 4th of June happens to be National SAFE Day and National Hug Your Cat Day
- The first Saturday in June (the 4th of June) is National Black Bear Day, National Bubbly Day, National Prairie Day, and National Trails Day
- World Environment Day is observed on the 5th of June
- The first Sunday is June observes National Cancer Survivor’s Day
Multi-day Celebrations
- National PTSD Awareness Month and National Safety Month
- Rose Month
- It is also National Soul Food Month and National Iced Tea Month
- June is one of the cool (well, actually warm) months to be National Great Outdoors Month, National Zoo and Aquarium Month, and National Camping Month
Wrapped Up: My Sunday Scribblings
So dear reader, you have reached the end of this Sunday Scribblings! As always, I welcome your thoughts, comments, and suggestions about this post. And do let me know if you plan to celebrate any of these mentioned celebrations this coming week/month?
Linking this to the Sunday Post over at the Caffeinated Reviewer and the Sunday Salon
You always teach me so much on these blog posts. I never even knew there is such a thing as Triolet poems!
Wow! Awesome post that is very informative and detailed! Such a great reference to make this kind of poem which so amazingly rhymes in every sense of it! Loved it!
There’s something nice about repetition. I often find myself retelling stories or reposting pictures or recommending books that I have already told or posted or recommended.
The triolet is a simple form that would be a great place for a beginning poet to start, I think.
I think this one is pretty easy. Thank you for sharing the tips on how to write triolet poetry. Your example is beautiful and well-written.
Great poem and so many fun days coming up!!
This sounds like a complicated form of poetry. You make it look so easy with your poem! Very interesting to learn about this one.