Dechnad Cummaisc: Poetic Forms
Poetic Form Fridays are made to share various poetic forms. This week, we look at the dechnad cummaisc, an Irish quatrain (or 4-line) form.
Poetic Form Fridays are made to share various poetic forms. This week, we look at the dechnad cummaisc, an Irish quatrain (or 4-line) form.
Dechnad Cummaisc Poems
The decnad cummaisc is an Irish poetic form that employs quatrains with both end and internal rhymes. Here are the guidelines:
- Four-line stanzas.
- Eight syllables in the first and third lines.
- Four syllables in the second and fourth lines, which both end rhyme.
- The final word of line three rhymes with the middle of line four.
The poem can be a single quatrain or run for several. Subject matter is completely open.
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Here’s my attempt at a dechnad cummaisc:
the lovers, by Robert Lee Brewer
we dance in the days and again
in the evenings
looking for love that won't decay
or fake meanings
of emotions felt so intense
in our kisses
that broadcast intentions below
our faux misses
along the soft path of kindness
that is repaid
we sing love & our love belongs
in songs replayed
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
