WD Poetic Form Challenge: Rispetto
Before we get into the full onslaught of the April PAD Challenge, let’s complete one more WD Poetic Form Challenge. This time, we’ll be writing the rispetto. There are two…
Before we get into the full onslaught of the April PAD Challenge, let's complete one more WD Poetic Form Challenge. This time, we'll be writing the rispetto.
There are two versions of the rispetto that I'll accept for this challenge:
- Poem comprised of two quatrains written in iambic (unstress, stress) tetrameter (four feet–or, in this case, 8 syllables).
- Poem comprised of 8 hendecasyllabic (11-syllable) lines–usually one stanza.
Pick a version or try both.
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Workshop your poetry!
Writing first draft poetry is fun and liberating. However, it's also isolating if you don't have a group of trusted readers to help revise the poems. In the Writer's Digest Advanced Poetry course, poets receive the opportunity to workshop their poems with other dedicated poets.
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Here are the guidelines:
- Write a previously unpublished rispetto and share in the comments below.
- Include your name as you'd like it to be published--if it happens to win the challenge.
- Deadline: 11:59 p.m. (Atlanta, GA, time) on March 27.
- Winning poem will be published in a future issue of Writer's Digest magazine.
- No fees or special registration required.
- Everyone is encouraged to participate.
- Note: If you're new to commenting on this site, it may take a day or two for your comment to appear--as I (or another editor) will have to manually approve. After that initial approval though, comments should appear as you post.
Good luck!
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Follow me on Twitter @robertleebrewer
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Want more poetry? Good! Check out these links:

Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.