Huitain was a French verse form of an eight-line stanza with 8 or 10 syllables in each line, often iambic. It was written with three rhymes, one utilized twice (in four lines). There were a number of rhyme schemes, like ababbcbc and abbaacac. Un huitain enlace is an enclosed huitain which has a rhyme scheme: aabaabcc.
The huitain evidently was popular in France in the 15th and early 16th centuries with such poets as François Villon and Clément Marot.
The Huitain went by a syllable count of eight originally, but with the fondness for English iambic pentameter, has also been seen with 10 syllables. The variations are all variations on the rhyme scheme, however, there is one type of pattern all variations follow. There must be one set of four rhyming words, and two sets of two rhyming words.
French/English #1: a, b, a, b, b, c, b, c
French/English #2: a, b, b, a, a, c, a, c
Spanish #1: a, b, a, b, a, c, a, c
Spanish #2: a, b, b, a, a, c, c, a
Here are two examples of my more laid-back version of un huitain enlace ( aabaabcc ):
Huitain Puzzle
Some poets are hobbled with stricture;
but pacing yourself can help pick your
precisely-voiced sound in the words.
huitains could again be a fixture;
you’ve eight lines for painting a picture
restored from French countryside sherds.
So piece them together with patience,
if only to rid your frustrations.
© Daniel J Ricketts 31 Jan 2005
it’shuit to be a cat
An outside cat can make a mess
inside your house, it seems, unless
you let it out each time it asks
to run about and more or less
do what it wants. Then it will bless
its servant, in whose smile it basks;
so long as there’s sufficient food
and room to rest… all will be good.
© Daniel J Ricketts 08 March 2004
Now... enjoy experimenting with the form. Maybe we can revive it!
Full Version: Huitain
The Journey Itself
The journey’s the heart, the soul of the trek;
where you’re going’s but part of the pleasure.
You never get there? It won’t be a wreck,
‘cause those things on the way are the treasure.
So stop and enjoy. Get lost? What the heck!
Rescued while sinking in up to your neck?
Meet folks ‘long the way. Do things never done
before in your life. Perhaps life’s begun!
© MLee Dickens’son 08 April 2005
The journey’s the heart, the soul of the trek;
where you’re going’s but part of the pleasure.
You never get there? It won’t be a wreck,
‘cause those things on the way are the treasure.
So stop and enjoy. Get lost? What the heck!
Rescued while sinking in up to your neck?
Meet folks ‘long the way. Do things never done
before in your life. Perhaps life’s begun!
© MLee Dickens’son 08 April 2005
Thanks Daniel. 
This is a great addition and examples too for Karnak.
I hope to tey this form real soon...
Cheers
~Cleo :)
This is a great addition and examples too for Karnak.
I hope to tey this form real soon...
Cheers
~Cleo :)
You're welcome, Lori...
I thought that I had posted something way back when you created the form eventually called Trois Par Huit, since it also has eight lines, and I'd suggested the title as an allusion to this form... yours being almost a cross between a huitain and a rictameter.
I'll look forward to your adding some of these to your repetoire. They are an excellent showcase for rhyme and meter.
I also hope you'll drop in to my new one in the crit forum for form poems. I just added to it today, in fact.
deLightingly, Daniel
I thought that I had posted something way back when you created the form eventually called Trois Par Huit, since it also has eight lines, and I'd suggested the title as an allusion to this form... yours being almost a cross between a huitain and a rictameter.
I'll look forward to your adding some of these to your repetoire. They are an excellent showcase for rhyme and meter.
I also hope you'll drop in to my new one in the crit forum for form poems. I just added to it today, in fact.
deLightingly, Daniel
Real Freedom
Bees bumble in a warming breeze
a bit too brisk to bare pale knees
but not too cool to rid stuffed feet
of shoes. Oh, how a sandal frees
tense toes, and ankle quite agrees
that chill is better far to greet
a day with no stretched stocking-feel
on strangled legs. Ah, Spring; it’s real!
© Daniel J Ricketts 15 April 2005
Bees bumble in a warming breeze
a bit too brisk to bare pale knees
but not too cool to rid stuffed feet
of shoes. Oh, how a sandal frees
tense toes, and ankle quite agrees
that chill is better far to greet
a day with no stretched stocking-feel
on strangled legs. Ah, Spring; it’s real!
© Daniel J Ricketts 15 April 2005
Daniel,
This is lovely! Just how the first days of spring feel - need to remove those winter layers, but still too chilly for comfort.
Fran
This is lovely! Just how the first days of spring feel - need to remove those winter layers, but still too chilly for comfort.
Fran
How pleasant of you to drop in this fine day, Fran! 
May I offer you a selection of teas?
Iced Tease
Perhaps the chill helps me to think
about iced tea we soon will drink…
the kind we’ll brew in gallon jars
by morning sun; though clouds could shrink
our expectations, they can’t jinx
the season change. No chill wind mars
sweet chirruping of flitting birds.
Brisk taste of spring ~ beyond mere words.
© Daniel J Ricketts 15 April 2005
deLightingly, Daniel
May I offer you a selection of teas?Iced Tease
Perhaps the chill helps me to think
about iced tea we soon will drink…
the kind we’ll brew in gallon jars
by morning sun; though clouds could shrink
our expectations, they can’t jinx
the season change. No chill wind mars
sweet chirruping of flitting birds.
Brisk taste of spring ~ beyond mere words.
© Daniel J Ricketts 15 April 2005
deLightingly, Daniel
... and here's one that I just completed as an 'assignment' to make a poem of any kind of a newspaper article of any kind. This was from today's AP article, Armstrong to Retire after Tour de France:
Headstrong, Leg-strong, Armstrong
A legend soon will end his string
of wins; the Tour de France could bring
Lance one more crown — his seventh straight;
his mountain-climbing heart would sing.
Commitment’s still his offering,
but other drives stir him of late:
time with three kids and Sheryl Crow
and cancer funding — all must grow.
© Daniel J Ricketts 19 April 2005
Headstrong, Leg-strong, Armstrong
A legend soon will end his string
of wins; the Tour de France could bring
Lance one more crown — his seventh straight;
his mountain-climbing heart would sing.
Commitment’s still his offering,
but other drives stir him of late:
time with three kids and Sheryl Crow
and cancer funding — all must grow.
© Daniel J Ricketts 19 April 2005
The Huitain is an old form from France, with several variations developing over time. It is a wonderfully flexible form which can be as short as the required eight lines, or can continue in eight line sets for as long as you wish. This is another great form for collaboration, with each poet developing their own eight line sequence.
The Huitain went by a syllable count of eight originally, but with the fondness for English iambic pentameter, has also been seen with 10 syllables. The variations are all variations on the rhyme scheme, however, there is one type of pattern all variations follow. There must be one set of four rhyming words, and two sets of two rhyming words.
French/English #1: a, b, a, b, b, c, b, c
French/English #2: a, b, b, a, a, c, a, c
Spanish #1: a, b, a, b, a, c, a, c
Spanish #2: a, b, b, a, a, c, c, a
One thing I've really enjoyed about this form is the flexibility of the rhyme scheme. Only requirement as stated above is:
There must be one set of four rhyming words, and two sets of two rhyming words.
This scheme is:
a a b a a b c c
in iambic tetrameter, but iambic pentameter is also used sometimes.
Uninvited Guests
The fire’s flames are burning low,
though embers still emit a glow
still hot enough to cook a meal
of beans and wieners, done just so.
Four racoon eyes enjoy the show
and scan for tempting scraps to steal.
We eat our fill, then watch them come,
as if demanding–“give us some!”
by:
Susan Eckenrode
Dance with Me
Oh won't you please come dance with me?
We'll swing and sway in ecstasy
beneath a moon that's full and bright.
I'll hold you close and soon you'll see
how great a dancer I can be.
Perhaps we'll even dance all night
and fall in love before the dawn.
Oh no, what's that? Did you just yawn?
by:
Susan Eckenrode
The Huitain went by a syllable count of eight originally, but with the fondness for English iambic pentameter, has also been seen with 10 syllables. The variations are all variations on the rhyme scheme, however, there is one type of pattern all variations follow. There must be one set of four rhyming words, and two sets of two rhyming words.
French/English #1: a, b, a, b, b, c, b, c
French/English #2: a, b, b, a, a, c, a, c
Spanish #1: a, b, a, b, a, c, a, c
Spanish #2: a, b, b, a, a, c, c, a
One thing I've really enjoyed about this form is the flexibility of the rhyme scheme. Only requirement as stated above is:
There must be one set of four rhyming words, and two sets of two rhyming words.
This scheme is:
a a b a a b c c
in iambic tetrameter, but iambic pentameter is also used sometimes.
Uninvited Guests
The fire’s flames are burning low,
though embers still emit a glow
still hot enough to cook a meal
of beans and wieners, done just so.
Four racoon eyes enjoy the show
and scan for tempting scraps to steal.
We eat our fill, then watch them come,
as if demanding–“give us some!”
by:
Susan Eckenrode
Dance with Me
Oh won't you please come dance with me?
We'll swing and sway in ecstasy
beneath a moon that's full and bright.
I'll hold you close and soon you'll see
how great a dancer I can be.
Perhaps we'll even dance all night
and fall in love before the dawn.
Oh no, what's that? Did you just yawn?
by:
Susan Eckenrode
Thanks Sue for posting this form. Since we already a tile posted for this form here, http://forums.mosaicmusings.net/index.php?showtopic=3944, I'll merge the two together later on and edit your more detailed description at the top.
Best regards and thanks again!
~Cleo
Best regards and thanks again!
~Cleo
OOps, sorry Lori. I guess I didn't look back far enough before posting this form. Daniel has it covered very well and in fewer words. I'm fine with removing it and just adding my example to his thread.
Thanks.
Sue
Thanks.
Sue
Susan Eckenrode Wrote:
This is wonderful - full of creative images that fully depict a life like moment and the mischievious charisma of a raccoon ... I fell in love with this and even more so with the form because of it... thank you for posting it!
Now I am going to try my own and see if your talents inspire something from the cold, empty depths of my muse (less) mind! LOL
QUOTE
Uninvited Guests
The fire’s flames are burning low,
though embers still emit a glow
still hot enough to cook a meal
of beans and wieners, done just so.
Four racoon eyes enjoy the show
and scan for tempting scraps to steal.
We eat our fill, then watch them come,
as if demanding–“give us some!”
The fire’s flames are burning low,
though embers still emit a glow
still hot enough to cook a meal
of beans and wieners, done just so.
Four racoon eyes enjoy the show
and scan for tempting scraps to steal.
We eat our fill, then watch them come,
as if demanding–“give us some!”
This is wonderful - full of creative images that fully depict a life like moment and the mischievious charisma of a raccoon ... I fell in love with this and even more so with the form because of it... thank you for posting it!
Now I am going to try my own and see if your talents inspire something from the cold, empty depths of my muse (less) mind! LOL
The Journey Itself
The journey’s the heart, the soul of the trek;
where you’re going’s but part of the pleasure.
You never get there? It won’t be a wreck,
‘cause those things on the way are the treasure.
So stop and enjoy. Get lost? What the heck!
Rescued while sinking in up to your neck?
Meet folks ‘long the way. Do things never done
before in your life. Perhaps life’s begun!
© MLee Dickens'son 08 April 2005
The journey’s the heart, the soul of the trek;
where you’re going’s but part of the pleasure.
You never get there? It won’t be a wreck,
‘cause those things on the way are the treasure.
So stop and enjoy. Get lost? What the heck!
Rescued while sinking in up to your neck?
Meet folks ‘long the way. Do things never done
before in your life. Perhaps life’s begun!
© MLee Dickens'son 08 April 2005
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