Lesson 7, 5-17-10, Triolet

Barnes & Noble Poetry Workshop
Monday, May 17th 2010 (Please join us next time, June 21st 2010)
Triolet is a French form of poetry from the medieval era.


 The Triolet contains 8 short lines, and 2 rhymes.
 Line 1 & 2 make an observation
 Line 5 & 6 involve a twist or change in idea because it begins a new stanza
 The 1st line must be repeated as the 4th line
 The 1st and 2nd line must be repeated as the 7th and 8th line
 The rhyme format is a-b-a-a-a-b-a-b
 As you can see, the 1st line appears 3 times, which is why it is called a TRIO-let

Breaking down the format:
1.A (Make an observation)
2.B (Make an observation)
3.a
4.A (REPEAT LINE 1 HERE)

5.a (Rhymes with any capital “A” line) ADD A TWIST
6.b (Rhymes with any capital “B” line) ADD A TWIST
7.A(Rhymes with any capital “A” line) REPEAT LINE 1 HERE
8.B(Rhymes with any capital “B” line) REPEAT LINE 2 HERE

A FINISHED EXAMPLE: (Poem courtesy of http://allpoetry.com/column/320735 )

1. A A. The walls are white brick
2. B B. and the door is green
3. a a. For men easy colors to pick
4. A A. The walls are white brick

5. a a. For a woman, a tougher trick
6. b b. With the door an avacado sheen
7. A A. The walls are white brick
8. B B. and the door is green


POETRY LESSON WRITTEN AND CREATED BY AMANDA KONSTANTINE PERLMUTTER