Strambotto: Poetic Forms
Time for another Poetic Form Friday. After last week’s echo verse, let’s try out strambotto. Strambotto Poems Some of these forms are older than others, and the strambotto traces back…
Time for another Poetic Form Friday. After last week's echo verse, let's try out strambotto.
Strambotto Poems
Some of these forms are older than others, and the strambotto traces back to the 13th century. This Italian form known as ottava siciliana (Sicilian octave) or strambotto popolare was the preferred form in Southern Italy, while strambotto toscano was more popular in Tuscany [hat tip to Edward Hirsch's A Poet's Glossary]. Today strambotto toscano is known as ottava rima.
Here are the basic rules for strambotto:
- Octave (8-line) poems or stanzas
- Hendecasyllabic (or 11-syllable) lines
- Rhyme scheme: abababab
Alternate version: There's also a six-line variant form (still called strambotto) with hendecasyllabic lines and an ababab rhyme scheme.
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Here’s my attempt at Strambotto:
All's Fair, by Robert Lee Brewer
When you run out of reasons to dance or sing,
remember tomorrow is a brand new day
and that past regrets should not mean anything
if you wish to keep living in joyful ways.
For the past is the past, and the future brings
new chances to love and to even betray
a smile or a kiss as the wedding bells ring
and all of the children continue to play.
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Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Content Editor of the Writer’s Digest Writing Community and author of Solving the World’s Problems (Press 53). He is thankful that life goes on. Follow him on Twitter @RobertLeeBrewer.
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.
