Writing Exercise - canzonetta
Saturday 29 August 2015
As some of you may be aware, I’m currently compiling an anthology of poetry, Coming Together: In Verse. The call for submissions is listed here: http://ashleylisterauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/call-for-submissions-coming-together-in.html
For those of you wanting to submit, but lacking inspiration or ideas, below you’ll find one of the poetry writing exercises I’ve previously shared on the blog for the Erotic Readers and Writers Association (http://erotica-readers.blogspot.co.uk). I'm going to try and share them here on a weekly basis until we reach the deadline date.
The canzonetta is a lyric poem. It contains varying line lengths, varying metrical patterns and a refrain.
A typical canzonetta consists of at least two octaves. Each octave should use a series of alternating couplets and the last line or phrase of a stanza is repeated in each subsequent stanzas.
The rhyme scheme is:
a b a b c d c D
or
a b a b c b c B
Note that the capital letter indicates a repeated line. Does this sound complicated? Would it be better illustrated with an example?
I think it’s time we played a game
A game you’ll know from way back when
Get naked and embrace the shame
Although you’re in the lion’s den
You’ll touch your toes, spread both your cheeks
Conclude your prayer and say, “Amen.”
In my domain no other speaks
So close your eyes and count to ten
A game you’ll know from way back when
Get naked and embrace the shame
Although you’re in the lion’s den
You’ll touch your toes, spread both your cheeks
Conclude your prayer and say, “Amen.”
In my domain no other speaks
So close your eyes and count to ten
You hold your breath and worry hard
Because it’s time to play again
You fear your backside might get scarred
As once perhaps it did back then
You wonder what’s about to come
A sigh of leather and you ken
The pain is aimed right for your bum
So close your eyes and count to ten
Because it’s time to play again
You fear your backside might get scarred
As once perhaps it did back then
You wonder what’s about to come
A sigh of leather and you ken
The pain is aimed right for your bum
So close your eyes and count to ten
You’ll notice here that I’ve gone for the a b a b c b c B rhyme scheme. My refrain, ‘So close your eyes and count to ten’ will continue to work through this poem if I go on to develop it into further stanzas.
If you do want to submit to the current anthology, information can be found on: http://ashleylisterauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/call-for-submissions-coming-together-in.html
