River Terzanalle

At the foot of my whispering willow

sunlight dapples the earth like confetti

as it flickers and plays in the hollows

Birds chat in the boughs above the jetty

in an endless, discordant symphony   

sunlight dapples the earth like confetti

A duck parades her fluffy family

that darts away, back into line and squeaks

in an endless, discordant symphony

A sailing boat and boy with wind-blushed cheeks

glide by nonchalantly, ducking the boom

that darts away, back into line and squeaks

In the marina by the houseboat's flume

I can see the silver-scaled carp clearly

glide by nonchalantly, ducking the boom

Sitting on the bank I love so dearly

at the foot of my whispering willow

I can see the silver-scaled carp clearly

As it flickers and plays in the hollows

© JA Cornell 2008

The Terzanelle

The terzanelle is a modified villanelle. It uses the terza rima's interlocked rhyme pattern, but fits the villanelle form of five triplets and a quatrain. In addition, the middle line of the 1st stanza becomes the third line of the next stanza, and so on, such that the terzanelle is a huge pain, but worth the effort and determination to finish.

Because the repeated line changes and the rhyme sounds change (according to terza rima structure) the terzanelle is a less obsessive poem than the villanelle whose repetetion can be overpowering. A terzanelle's repetetion is more subtle and can give the poem a lush texture that a harsh repeater-poem cannot do. Terzanelle's are difficult to write, but fun to play with.

*Note: each line has 10 syllables

A first a

B first b

A second a

B second b

C first c

B repeat first b

C second c

D first d

C repeat first c

D second d

E first e

D repeat first d

E second e

F first f

E repeat first e

F second f

A repeat first a

F repeat first f

A repeat second a