Terzanelle, five tercets and closing quatrain Options

[JustDaniel]

A terzanelle is a variation on the villanelle form, utilzing the interlocked rhyme pattern of a terza rima but in the villanelle’s format of five triplets (3-line stanzas) and a quatrain (4-line stanza).

Simply stated, it is a 19-line poem of five triplets and a concluding quatrain, incorporating aspects both of a terza rima and a villanelle. The middle line of each triplet is repeated verbatim as the third line of the following stanza, but the first and third line of the initial stanza also become the second and fourth lines of the closing quatrain. Thus seven of the 19 lines are actually repeated in this form.  

The rhyme scheme of the six stanzas is a follows, with the Capital letters indicating the lines that are completely duplicated:

A¹BA²
bCB
cDC
dED
eFE
fA¹FA²

An alternate ending for the final stanza is:

fFA¹A²

Here's a recently posted example (with link to the forum) of our resident forms expert, Eric (Merlin):

Moonshine in St Paul

It was his gift beneath the Christmas wreath
when he was still a lad in Delaware,
this treasured blade with blue-bead leather sheath.

You’d swear it purrs when danger’s in the air
protecting him from hazards large and small
when he was still a lad in Delaware.

He wandered west, drank moonshine near St Paul,
ran with some active traders for a while
protecting him from hazards large and small.

A tepid waterhole, a bath in style,
a splintered mirror trim; what jauntiness
ran with some active traders for a while.

The Rockies, ever closer, happiness!
He had great visions – life would be a dream,
a splintered mirror trim, what jauntiness.

With knife in hand, he rested by a stream;
it was his gift beneath the Christmas wreath.
He had great visions – life would be a dream,
this treasured blade with beaded leather sheath.

[Merlin]

Thank you for posting the parameters, Daniel.
I use a template that I made for the different forms, especially the French ones where repetition is the norm. It works well for me, where I simply copy & paste lines where they belong. That way, one need only fill in the white spaces!

Here's one that I kinda like; I did several when active on the 10-word challenge page. Because certain word-use was required, there may be areas where another choice might have worked better, and the current one seems odd. >>>
Required words were >>> Four, peanuts, sand, mist, intense, bow, dread, tropical, image, swift.

Desert Daze

Four peanuts left, and all I see is sand
in each direction. Overhead, the sun,
no wispy cloud or mist. It’s all unplanned.

The heat’s intense; I wish I had a gun.
To any god who’s watching, I shall bow
in each direction; overhead, the sun.

There’s scarcely any sweat upon my brow,
I dread to think how long I might survive.
To any god who’s watching, I shall bow.

This isn’t tropical, no Sunday drive.
All images of water vanish – swift!
I dread to think how long I might survive.

Almighty dunes, they wander, move and drift.
Prevailing winds select a resting place.
All images of water vanish – swift!

What’s moving up ahead? I must give chase.
Four peanuts left, and all I see is sand.
Prevailing winds select a resting place.
No wispy cloud or mist. It’s all unplanned.

[Merlin]

Here's another example for which I used the 10-word site >>>

Words required are confusion, realm, friction, side, beckon, unite, music, product, twilight, sly.

While the event is historic, the poem is not necessarily so.

Two versions of the same show the standard tercet & quatrain breakdown, and then my own which employs different punctuation & enjambment. I've also deviated from standard equal-length lines for a change of scenery.

Cutting of the Elm

Confusion reigned throughout the realm,
dissention brought on friction;
the resolution – cut the elm.

All sides held their conviction,
King Henry beckoned to his troops;
dissention brought on friction.

They stood united in small groups,
the elm provided shade.
King Henry beckoned to his troops.

As piper music played
the French baked in the noonday sun;
the elm provided shade.

A product lost… a product won
and twilight nowhere nigh;
the French baked in the noonday sun.

One clever king, one sly,
confusion reigned throughout the realm
and twilight nowhere nigh;
the resolution – cut the elm.


Confusion reigned throughout the realm,
dissension brought on friction;
the resolution – cut the elm,
all sides held their conviction.
King Henry beckoned to his troops;
dissension brought on friction,
they stood united in small groups;
the elm provided shade.
King Henry beckoned to his troops
as piper music played;
the French baked in the noonday sun,
the elm provided shade.
A product lost… a product won
and twilight nowhere nigh;
the French baked in the noonday sun.
One clever king, one sly,
confusion reigned throughout the realm
and twilight nowhere nigh;
the resolution – cut the elm.