Pantoum Form~

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The pantoum consists of a series of quatrains rhyming ABAB in which the second and fourth lines of a quatrain recur as the first and third lines in the succeeding quatrain; each quatrain introduces a new second rhyme as BCBC, CDCD. The first line of the series recurs as the last line of the closing quatrain, and third line of the poem recurs as the second line of the closing quatrain, rhyming ZAZA.

The design is simple:

Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4

Line 5 (repeat of line 2)
Line 6
Line 7 (repeat of line 4)
Line 8

Continue with as many stanzas as you wish, but the ending stanzathen repeats the second and fourth lines of the previous stanza (as its first and third lines), and also repeats the third line of the first stanza, as its second line, and the first line of the first stanza as its fourth. So the first line of the poem is also the last.

Last stanza:

Line 2 of previous stanza
Line 3 of first stanza
Line 4 of previous stanza
Line 1 of first stanza

 

Example #1:
Dance In The Rain

Come, dance in the rain with me
Let it wash our cares away
Drench us through and set us free
If only for today

Let it wash our cares away
Don't worry about tomorrow
If only for today
Along my path, please follow

Don't worry about tomorrow
This shower soon will end
Along my path, please follow
Cast worry to the wind

This shower soon will end
The memory, it will linger
Cast worry to the wind
Sate the primal hunger

The memory, it will linger
Drench us through and set us free
Sate the primal hunger
Come, dance in the rain with me...

Copyright © 2001 Chelle Wood

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