Ya-du: Poetic Forms
Poetic Form Fridays are made to share various poetic forms. This week, we look at the ya-du, a Burmese quintain form.
Poetic Form Fridays are made to share various poetic forms. This week, we look at the ya-du, a Burmese quintain form.
Ya-du Poems
The ya-du is a Burmese poetic form. Here are the guidelines:
- Quintains (or five-line stanzas).
- Four syllables in the first four lines.
- The final line has either five, seven, nine, or 11 syllables.
- The fourth syllable of the first line rhymes with the third syllable of the second line and the second syllable of the third line.
- The fourth syllable of the third line rhymes with the third syllable of the fourth line and the second syllable of the fifth line.
- The fourth syllable of the fourth line rhymes with the final syllable of the final line.
- Subject usually deals with seasons.
- Most ya-du are written in three or fewer stanzas.
Here's a way to visualize the structure/rhymes (with a 5-syllable final line):
xxxa
xxax
xaxb
xxbc
xbxxc
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Here’s my attempt at a ya-du:
autumn, by Robert Lee Brewer
on walden pond
we sang songs of
our long summers
of wonder we
never seemed to leave
