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literature
Pantoums
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Literature Text
The pantoum, or pantun, is a form originating in Malaysia which was brought to the French language by Ernest Fouinet (not Victor Hugo, contrary to popular belief). It was popularized by Victor Hugo and later Charles Beaudlaire. In a pantoum, the lines are interlocking and the first line is identical to the last line, which gives the poem a static or a cyclical feeling.
A pantoum has no set meter, but many use iambic tetrameter in the style of a ballad. The poem is comprised of any number of quatrains rhyming ABAB. Personally, I enjoy those which rhyme ABAB-BABA-ABAB and so on with only two sets of rhymes, but that is not required of a pantoum. The main ingredient in this intriguing and haunting form is the repetition.
The main element of a pantoum is the fact that the second and fourth lines of a stanza become the first and third lines of the next stanza respectively. Illustrated with letters representing the line, the structure is ABCD/BEDF/EGFH and so on. In the last stanza, some sources say the first and third lines of the entire poem should respectively become the fourth and second lines of the last stanza. Letting x and y be the second and fourth lines of the second to last stanza it would end up being xCyA. However, some sources only say that the first line of the poem should reappear again as the last line of the poem. Most pantoums I have seen either start and end with the same line with the second line of the last stanza being a new unrepeated line or just have the second and last lines of the last stanza be new unrepeated lines.
When writing a pantoum, the poet should keep in mind that the lines will be repeated in a different place and slightly different context. Often, some lines show an object or setting and others contain descriptions which then modify two different objects or places or actions which two things do. If you think along those lines, it may make it easier to write a pantoum. I enjoy reading and writing this form for the haunting repetition which leads to many interesting images. I find that it is great for depicting a mood or feeling and a description of a certain type of memory. A pantoum has charm and depth in the words and they are enjoyable to both read and write.
A pantoum has no set meter, but many use iambic tetrameter in the style of a ballad. The poem is comprised of any number of quatrains rhyming ABAB. Personally, I enjoy those which rhyme ABAB-BABA-ABAB and so on with only two sets of rhymes, but that is not required of a pantoum. The main ingredient in this intriguing and haunting form is the repetition.
The main element of a pantoum is the fact that the second and fourth lines of a stanza become the first and third lines of the next stanza respectively. Illustrated with letters representing the line, the structure is ABCD/BEDF/EGFH and so on. In the last stanza, some sources say the first and third lines of the entire poem should respectively become the fourth and second lines of the last stanza. Letting x and y be the second and fourth lines of the second to last stanza it would end up being xCyA. However, some sources only say that the first line of the poem should reappear again as the last line of the poem. Most pantoums I have seen either start and end with the same line with the second line of the last stanza being a new unrepeated line or just have the second and last lines of the last stanza be new unrepeated lines.
When writing a pantoum, the poet should keep in mind that the lines will be repeated in a different place and slightly different context. Often, some lines show an object or setting and others contain descriptions which then modify two different objects or places or actions which two things do. If you think along those lines, it may make it easier to write a pantoum. I enjoy reading and writing this form for the haunting repetition which leads to many interesting images. I find that it is great for depicting a mood or feeling and a description of a certain type of memory. A pantoum has charm and depth in the words and they are enjoyable to both read and write.
This is another informative write up about poetic forms, written by ~ alenia.
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Comments7
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An interesting form indeed... I will have to experiment further with this one.
[Please comment on my first attempt 'Dark Meditations' at my page...I'd like some feedback on style, and to check if I follow the basic structure of the Pantoum]
Benedictions!
[Please comment on my first attempt 'Dark Meditations' at my page...I'd like some feedback on style, and to check if I follow the basic structure of the Pantoum]
Benedictions!