Tricubes: Poetic Forms

Two poetic forms in the same month! It’s been a while since we've done that. Though with today's form, it's a shame we aren't doing three.

Unlike interlocking rubaiyat, the tricube is a newer form and relatively unknown. Plus, it's fun and easy to learn. This mathematical poem was introduced by Phillip Larrea.

Here are the rules of tricubes:

• Each line contains three syllables.
• Each stanza contains three lines.
• Each poem contains three stanzas.

So we're talking cubes in mathematical terms (to the third power). No rules for rhymes, meter, etc. Just three, three, and three.

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Play with poetic forms!

Poetic forms are fun poetic games, and this digital guide collects more than 100 poetic forms, including more established poetic forms (like sestinas and sonnets) and newer invented forms (like golden shovels and fibs).

Click to continue.

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Here’s my attempt at a tricube:

resist

i avoid
dead end streets
like the plague

because i
don't enjoy
backtracking

but the plague
is a street
with no end