Quatern Poetry
Poetry Contest
The topic for this poetry contest is: QUATERN POETRY.
A Quatern is a sixteen line French form composed of four quatrains. It is similar to the Kyrielle and the Retourne. The first line of stanza one is the second line of stanza two, third line of stanza three and the fourth line of stanza four. A quatern has eight syllables per line. It does not have to be iambic or follow a set rhyme scheme.
line 1
line 2
line 3
line 4
line 5
line 6 (same as line 1)
line 7
line 8
line 9
line 10
line 11 (same as line 1)
line 12
line 13
line 14
line 15
line 16 (same as line 1)
Example #1:
True Love, Redefined
One day she hopes true love to find,
One soul, one mind, two hearts entwined;
Somewhere out there's the perfect guy,
For Youth has set her standards high.
He must be rich, handsome, refined,
One day she hopes true love to find;
Yet no one seems to measure up
And disappointment fills her cup.
The years go by, her nights grow long,
Her aging voice sings sorrow's song.
One day she hopes true love to find,
Her definition redefined;
Simply a plain and faithful friend
To see her to life's journeys end;
For though her face with age be lined,
One day she hopes true love to find.
Copyright © 2003 Linda Newman
Example #2:
The Master's Feet
Those who sat at the Master's feet,
Brothers who fished in waters deep,
Threw down their nets and followed Him,
Forsaking all to fish for men.
The crowds pressed ?round to hear Him speak,
Those who sat at the Master's feet,
Those who he said would be a light,
For others lost in dark of night.
In the upper room hands were rung,
When told a traitor was among,
Those who sat at the Master's feet,
With emblems of Himself to eat.
The Master's mother held her breath,
When savage men cried for his death,
And vainly struggled to defeat,
Those who sat at the Master's feet.
Copyright © 2006 James Dupy
Example #3:
Life's Pulse - The Gypsies Song
As dark-haired beauties celebrate
while moving round the fire light,
their slender swirling hips gyrate,
and on they dance, into the night.
The flames dance too, beneath the moon.
As dark-haired beauties celebrate,
their fathers clap or play a tune
the merry clan perpetuate!
Then each young man takes hold a mate
he?s chosen in the ring of fire.
As dark-haired beauties celebrate,
their flashing eyes ignite desire.
The mothers sit and smile. They know
the music will not soon abate.
Life's pulse is found by campfire's glow
as dark-haired beauties celebrate.
Copyright © 2006 by Andrea Dietrich
The contest winner will win half of the prize pool of 90.00 member dollars. In this contest at least 5 submissions must be made for the vote to begin.
Deadline: Contest is closed. Deadline was Friday, August 28, 2015.
Full Contest Listing
A Quatern is a sixteen line French form composed of four quatrains. It is similar to the Kyrielle and the Retourne. The first line of stanza one is the second line of stanza two, third line of stanza three and the fourth line of stanza four. A quatern has eight syllables per line. It does not have to be iambic or follow a set rhyme scheme.
line 1
line 2
line 3
line 4
line 5
line 6 (same as line 1)
line 7
line 8
line 9
line 10
line 11 (same as line 1)
line 12
line 13
line 14
line 15
line 16 (same as line 1)
Example #1:
True Love, Redefined
One day she hopes true love to find,
One soul, one mind, two hearts entwined;
Somewhere out there's the perfect guy,
For Youth has set her standards high.
He must be rich, handsome, refined,
One day she hopes true love to find;
Yet no one seems to measure up
And disappointment fills her cup.
The years go by, her nights grow long,
Her aging voice sings sorrow's song.
One day she hopes true love to find,
Her definition redefined;
Simply a plain and faithful friend
To see her to life's journeys end;
For though her face with age be lined,
One day she hopes true love to find.
Copyright © 2003 Linda Newman
Example #2:
The Master's Feet
Those who sat at the Master's feet,
Brothers who fished in waters deep,
Threw down their nets and followed Him,
Forsaking all to fish for men.
The crowds pressed ?round to hear Him speak,
Those who sat at the Master's feet,
Those who he said would be a light,
For others lost in dark of night.
In the upper room hands were rung,
When told a traitor was among,
Those who sat at the Master's feet,
With emblems of Himself to eat.
The Master's mother held her breath,
When savage men cried for his death,
And vainly struggled to defeat,
Those who sat at the Master's feet.
Copyright © 2006 James Dupy
Example #3:
Life's Pulse - The Gypsies Song
As dark-haired beauties celebrate
while moving round the fire light,
their slender swirling hips gyrate,
and on they dance, into the night.
The flames dance too, beneath the moon.
As dark-haired beauties celebrate,
their fathers clap or play a tune
the merry clan perpetuate!
Then each young man takes hold a mate
he?s chosen in the ring of fire.
As dark-haired beauties celebrate,
their flashing eyes ignite desire.
The mothers sit and smile. They know
the music will not soon abate.
Life's pulse is found by campfire's glow
as dark-haired beauties celebrate.
Copyright © 2006 by Andrea Dietrich
The contest winner will win half of the prize pool of 90.00 member dollars. In this contest at least 5 submissions must be made for the vote to begin.
Deadline: Contest is closed. Deadline was Friday, August 28, 2015.
