July - Paradelle & Sestina

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Nan

Administrator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-05-20

Posts 21191
Cape Cod Massachusetts USA

0 posted 2002-07-06 07:48 PM

OK, Ladies & Gents - I felt we should do a combination of Paradelle and Sestina this month. This dual exercise isn't because they're related in any particular way, but because the Sestina is a really difficult undertaking, and we'd never get Marge and Vicky in from recess to do any serious writing here...

... not that the Paradelle is all that easy either.

Even Balladeer is complaining...

So - First the Paradelle - Essentially, it's a poetic puzzle. There's no better way to put it. The pantoum and villanelle both repeat lines in a specific format, but not as intricately as does the paradelle.

The good news is that you can choose your own meter and rhyme scheme...

Then there's the rest - The paradelle is comprised of four stanzas. The first three follow the same format:
1. Each is made up of six lines.
2. Line two is a verbatim repetition of line one
3. Line four is a verbatim repetition of line three
4. Lines five and six are a composite of ALL of the words used in lines one through four
Every individual word must be used - no more/no less...

The fourth and final stanza is the most difficult. ~ It must contain Every word (no more/no less) used in all previous stanzas (1-3).

This is NOT an easy format to master. Remember, while you're trying to re-use your words, you have to also be developing a theme in your work...

Here's an old one that I did - I'll see what I can come up with for a new verse as well... Do we have any other masochists still hovering outside the door??

quote:

REFLECTION

Reflection speaks to me
Reflection speaks to me
Of every bygone day
Of every bygone day
Reflection of bygone
To me speaks every day.

Yet when faced with the past
Yet when faced with the past
When faced with your face thence
When faced with your face thence
Yet with your face when faced
Thence with your face the past

Enlightenment I see
Enlightenment I see
The wisdom in your eyes
The wisdom in your eyes
I see the wisdom in
Your eyes enlightenment

Of every day the past
Bygone, reflection faced
Thence when reflection speaks
Yet In your face I see
With wisdom in your eyes
Enlightenment to me

Then there's the Sestina. YIKES - This one isn't easy. I'll find some good examples for you though.

Well then... Here we have a wonderful, and often quite frustrating, poetic format. The Sestina is said to have been invented in Provence in the thirteenth century. This format, unlike the Villanelle and Pantoum, doesn't repeat lines. It only repeats end words (verbatim) from one stanza to the next - throughout 6+ stanzas.

It consists of six stanzas with six lines each (sestets), followed by a concluding tercet (the envoy). Each of the six end words is reused in every subsequent stanza, each with a different order. Let us consider that the first stanza has an end-rhyme scheme of A-B-C-D-E-F. Here, then, would be your poetic format.

Stanza #1 order - A-B-C-D-E-F
Stanza #2 order - F-A-E-B-D-C
Stanza #3 order - C-F-D-A-B-E
Stanza #4 order - E-C-B-F-A-D
Stanza #5 order - D-E-A-C-F-B
Stanza #6 order - B-D-F-E-C-A
Final Tercet
Line #1 - B-E
Line #2 - D-C
Line #3 - F-A

Note that the tercet is unique in that the BDF falls in the middle of the line. The ECA are at the ends of the lines. These end words are repeated verbatim.

A major consideration is your Theme Development. You must have a theme that can be developed and maintained in a total of 39 lines. That can be trickier than you think. The tercet must resolve the questions previously set forth.

Also, a consistent meter is preferable.... This is not a simple undertaking, my friends...

Here's an old Sestina of mine. I'll find some links to some other good ones as well...

quote:

PRETERITION

Vast epochs cast as fossiled specks in time,
Striated tombs interred throughout the world
Lend touchstone sediments to advent's kind.
Thenceforth anon wends evolution's change;
As harbinger, the nascency of life,
Foretold of destinies fulfilled this day.

Lost relics note Paleozoic day.
Emergent firstlings from the womb of time,
Prelusive tenets of all earthly life,
Predate the Great Divides about this world.
Mute artefacts boast evidence of change;
That sapience upstood in rightly kind.

Caved scriveners carved etchings of first kind,
Scribed signatures of juvenescent day.
'Til Cheop's spire spake enigmatic change,
All messengers of pre-recorded time;
Colossal seemed as wonders of the world
Bore witness to the rudiments of life.

In Ancient East rose early factioned life.
Societies of City-States in kind,
Civilizations aimed to rule the world,
Grand Empires fallen remnants of lost day.
A Golden Age quelled Medieval time
And Renaissance of spirit enscribed change.

One metamorphic centenary change,
Transmutant of simplistic way of life.
Extensive progress unsurpassed in time,
Unfounded passage for all humankind.
The precipice of scientific day
Defines existence of a modern world.

Futurity rends visions for our world;
Endurance yet a quest subject to change.
What imminence befalls untrodden day,
As man espies intergalactic life?
A Universe alone 'tis naught mankind;
An Age is but a second lest mistime.

Temporal world yields pendency to life;
Millenniums' change plenary in kind.
Man's day a flicker in senescent time.

Pick yer poison, folks...

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

1 posted 2002-07-07 07:03 AM

quote:
The good news is that you can choose your own meter and rhyme scheme...

No da-dum? THESE I think I can try!

Bridget Shenachie
Senior Member

since 2002-01-23

Posts 1056
Kansas USA

2 posted 2002-07-07 04:37 PM

Waving hand from the back of the class. Panic setting in. Question already. Are we supposed to write either a paradelle or a sestina...or...are we supposed to try to combine both into one poem? (Red face, ignorance showing, confused but determined)

Shenachie

[This message has been edited by Bridget Shenachie (07-07-2002 04:40 PM).]

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

3 posted 2002-07-07 05:16 PM

I think its an "either"/"or" Bridget. I don't think Nan wants us to experience a migraine....LOL....OR panic....

Bridget Shenachie
Senior Member

since 2002-01-23

Posts 1056
Kansas USA

4 posted 2002-07-07 06:49 PM

Thanks Sunshine. (Face flushing with embarrassment) I'm getting used to assignments being difficult but this one was starting to look impossible. LOL...

I'm still in, Miss Nan.

Shenachie

Elan
Member

since 2002-05-03

Posts 382
State of Wide Eye

5 posted 2002-07-09 05:26 PM

Nan, I will put my pen
to a paradelle...soon...

Titia Geertman
Member Ascendant

since 2001-05-07

Posts 5182
Netherlands

6 posted 2002-07-10 06:23 PM

Ahhh....well....er....ok I'm in

in for big trouble I guess

But I'm a Dutchie am I not, and this Dutchie might've crashed her little yellow dinky toy van, but...oh well...I'll survive this one too...I hope.

Titia

Like scattered leaves...my words will flow

SmartChick
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-09-23

Posts 7081
On A Journey To The Unknown

7 posted 2002-07-11 09:41 PM

Ok Nan! I went ahead and tried a Paradelle. I posted it here in the workshop. But, I'm not sure if it is right or not. I did make an attempt, though.

mycafe
Senior Member

since 2002-05-23

Posts 584

8 posted 2002-07-12 04:17 AM

It does sound rather difficult for a total amateur like me, yet very interesting at the same time. Would like to try soon, give me some time

kaile

Member Ascendant

since 2000-02-06

Posts 5146
singapore

9 posted 2002-07-14 09:17 PM

sounds kewl..i'll give this a try

Marge Tindal

Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-06

Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores

10 posted 2002-07-14 09:52 PM

Teach~
As much pain as I'm in already ...
what's a little more ?????????????

I'll Paradelle ya' soon ...
but I am NOT a sucker for a Sestina !
Not enough Excedrin in this world !!
(Well, not this week !)

I'll see if the doc can 'crack' a Paradelle outta me 'soon'~

VICKY !!!!!!!
Overnight those Excedrin !
*Hugs*
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com

kaile

Member Ascendant

since 2000-02-06

Posts 5146
singapore

11 posted 2002-07-15 05:20 AM

Nan,
just wanted to thank you for the fun & frustrating times i had during writing a paradelle...i enjoyed and cursed myself thoroughly...heehee

Paul Wilson

Member Elite

since 2002-07-07

Posts 4711
United States

12 posted 2002-07-20 10:45 AM

Nan... Being a new comer I was unable to post my Paradelle here at workshop, but did
post it in forums, how would I go about posting in work shop If I attempt a Sestina?
I hope I can get this sestina finished before
the turn of the century.LOL Paul

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