Meet the Rispetto

This classic Italian lyric form expresses love or respect (rispetto) as its subject that has many variations. The variation I’ve chosen for my own poem is similar in many ways to the Ottava Rima, another popular stanzaic Italian form.

Key Features of the Rispetto

*Note – These describe but one of many variations of the form

Structure: Contains one stanza made of eight lines (octave/octet)

Rhyme: ababccdd or abababcc

Syllables: eleven-syllable lines (hendecasyllabic)

Content: Traditionally expresses love or respect (rispetto) to the subject

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An Original Rispetto

My Muse, she sings but softly

My Muse, she sings but softly these warring days
With her harmonious sisters Voice and Verse;
Their chantsongs echoing faint and far away,
Will not reach me here to end this silent curse.
To dark and ancient music, to thund’rous drums,
We used to dance the twilight, shimmer, and hum.
I need their sweet music, their timbre, and tone.
I can hardly bear to sing my voice alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to Learn More? Start Here:

Rispetto – Writer’s Digest
Rispetto – Shadow Poetry
Rispetto – Britannica
The Rispetto – Verse Forms

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

— Come back every Friday for a new form! —

~ Creative works are owned by the author and subject to copyright laws ~

— Write your own Rispetto and share in the comments! —