Introducing some poetry structures

I would like to present to you 5 more common poetry structures and share also some of my poetry as examples.

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Structure 1 –The Villanelle
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The rules to follow with the Villanelle are as follows .
Write a poem with 5 three-line verses or tercets with and a final quatrain verse of lines that make up 19 lines in the poem . The rhyming system should be a , A ,B ,A in the five 3 line sections and A ,B , A , A in the final quatrain . In addition there is a repetition in the poem where line one repeats as line six, and 12 and 18 in line 3 repeats as 9 then 15 and 19
My Example -
Love In Flight –
By Paul McCann
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No speed limits apply,
The sky road has no end.
A message through the sky .
The pigeon she must fly ,
Flapping wings to ascend ,
No speed limits apply.
Gracefully sailing by ,
the sky bird is my friend ,
A message through the sky .
On pigeon legs I’ve tied ,
my note with love I send ,
No speed limits apply .

Fly little pigeon fly ,
With angels wings defend ,
A message through the sky ,

Love in flight , fly high . .
To the horizons end,
No speed limits apply,
A message through the sky .


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Structure 2 –The Pantoum
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In this structure the poem is written with four line stanzas where the second and fourth lines of each stanza repeat in the first and third lines of the next following . The last line of the poem is the same as the first line of the piece .
My Example -
The Guardian Angel Song
By Paul McCann
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I walked along a road that saw the dusk turn into dawn,
I wondered how much further would I have to travel on .
My blistered feet where telling me to carry on be strong .
I got down on my knees and sang my Guardian Angel song.

I wondered how much further would I have to travel on .
Then suddenly the pain in both my blistered feet had gone ,
I got down on my knees and sang my Guardian Angel song
and then I met a man who said his name was Brother John.

Suddenly the pain in both my blistered feet had gone ,
I looked at him and found the strength to carry on.
and then I met a man who said his name was Brother John.
My arms were tired and weary John said steady on be strong .

I looked at him and found the strength to carry on.
My blistered feet where telling me carry on be strong
My arms were tired and weary John said steady on be strong .
I walked along a road that saw the dusk turn into dawn .
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Structure 3–
The Epigram
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A short poem with a witty ending often a satiric or paradoxical twist ,
My example - Using Your Head
By Paul McCann
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I said to the teacher ,
I am a poor creature ,
spare me the time to think .
I should have done my sums ,
with my fingers and thumbs ,
but my pen ran out of ink .
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Structure 4–
The Tanka
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A short poem that uses syllables in it's structure similar to the Haiku .
The sequence of syllables are as follows
5-7 , 5-7. 7-5 , 7-5 and 7
My Example
The Wheel Of Life
By Paul McCann
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Sometimes I get caned .
Love is like a bamboo stick
Sometimes I get pain .
Sometimes in life I get sick
Sometimes in life I am healed
Life is after all,
a series of things to feel .
I don't mind at all.
In life things turn like a wheel .
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Structure 5–
The Ballad
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The Ballad is similar to the Narrative structure . In poetic form the ballad tells of tragic and heroic tales .
Ballads take on two images which are either traditional or common verse.
The traditional form of Ballad looks at tragic tales .
Ballads are often portraying heroes .
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My example -
The Leaving –
By Paul McCann
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The captain and the crew
they said goodbye to you ,
and left you standing there
in the cold morning air .
The potato crop failed
as the hungry all sailed
to Americas shore
like coffins at the door .
Upon a stark cobalt,
tears tasted just like salt,
So much was left unsaid ,
Of loved ones lost and dead .
Though life unkindly dealt
emotions that were felt,
like warm rays of the sun,
around everyone .
If you could kindly wait
One day to celebrate,
and in time they'll forget
the heartache that was met .
But the leaving is hard ,
and grieving cannot guard,
the courage of that day,
when many sailed away .
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I appreciate the time you spent here with me and hope you will return with as I present further poetry structures .
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