The triolet is a French repeating form that originated in France in the Middle Ages. It consists of eight lines in iambic meter with a rhyme scheme of ABaAabAB. The capitalized A lines are identical in traditional triolets as are the capitalized B lines. I have modified the fourth line in this modern version.
If you have never heard the song of the whippoorwill, go to
http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Whippoorwill_sounds.aspx. There you can hear 10 short recordings.
For some reason the whippoorwill has come to be regarded as a harbinger of death in legend and in the horror stories of H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King, and its song is characterized as sad in such standards as Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." I just don't get it, which is why I've recommended a site where you can hear variations of the song and decide for yourself. I think it's a strong, upbeat, beautiful song.
The beautiful illustration by jgrace is entitled Solar Symphony and captures the beauty of music for me.

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