Though it is said to be a popular exercise in modern poetry workshops and classes, there’s not a lot of information to be found on this variation of the haiku, which consists of any number of sestets with a strict syllable count. It is rumored to be of Spanish origin, but even that claim is hard to substantiate. Of course, none of this detracts from the enjoyment in writing the shadorma, especially once you get locked into the rhythm and flow of its short lines.
Key Features of the Shadorma
Syllable Count: 3/5/3/3/7/5 Form: Any number of six-line stanzas (sestets)
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An Original Shadorma
Little Goldfish
you can’t swim your way out of this bowl little goldfish and you can’t learn to breathe this strange unnatural air
Of all the forms we’ve covered so far, the Concrete Poem is unique in its emphasis on the physical form—the actual shape of the words—along with the meaning. Poetry meets typography meets graphic design in this experimental, visually inventive form.
An Original Concrete Poem
Description: Image one reads in black text, “I carry this would like a weapon.” Text of image one is shaped like a sword or dagger. Image two reads in red text, “I am invincible in my pain.” Text of image two is shaped like a shield.
Jumblers and scrabblers are well-versed in the art of the anagram, a technique that uses the shuffling of a given selection of letters to find new words. Anagrams can be a lot of fun, so it’s no surprise they are used in many popular word games and puzzles.
Key Features of the Anagrammatic Poem
Content: Always titled, and only letters featured in the title can be used
Form: The anagrammatic method can be combined with existing poetic forms (such as the haiku, sonnet, etc.) or used to create new ones.
Quintus Horatius Flaccus–better known to the English-speaking world by the mononym Horace–was a Roman soldier, lyric poet and satirist during the time of Augustus. He was a leading Latin poet of his time and is still celebrated for his odes, satires, and epistles. “Ars Poetica,” or “The Art of Poetry,” (c. 19 BC), his most influential epistle, offers advice on the art of writing poetry and drama.
Horatian Odes
Horace studied Greek ode forms–works by celebrated Greek poets such as Alcaeus, Anacreon, and Pindar–and adapted them for his own purposes, making them suitable for Latin. He not only changed the formal conventions of the Greek odes (stanzaic patterns, meter, rhyme scheme), but also modified the tone and subject matter to best highlight his own unique artistic sensibilities. While Greek odes tended to be heroic–elaborately glorifying a person or event–Horace’s odes were more personal, contemplative, and philosophical. The odes of Horace are also known for their charm, sophistication, and occasional touches of light humor.
Reading Horace
Non-Latin readers are immediately confronted with the challenge of translation. It is widely considered a fool’s errand to attempt to preserve formal conventions such as meter and rhyme when translating poetry, so you’ll need to regard any English translations of Horace’s work as approximating the art and meaning of Horace’s original odes, rather than duplicating their formal conventions.
That being said, there is a great deal to be gained by reading Horace–keeping this limitations in mind–in English and many translations are available online. For the bookshelf, I recommend Oxford World’s Classic’s Horace: The Complete Odes and Epodes featuring translations by David West.
A Horatian Ode in English
Although we can’t look directly to Horace to learn the conventions of his signature odes (without first learning Latin, that is), we can, however, look to Horatian odes written in English by English poets, and there are several good examples. Perhaps the most famous of these is Andrew Marvell’s “An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell’s Return from Ireland”.
The forward youth that would appear Must now forsake his Muses dear, Nor in the shadows sing His numbers languishing. ’Tis time to leave the books in dust, And oil th’ unused armour’s rust, Removing from the wall The corslet of the hall. So restless Cromwell could not cease In the inglorious arts of peace, But thorough advent’rous war Urged his active star.
Scanning the first eight lines of Marvell’s Horatian ode reveals several key requirements of the form. Firstly, you’ll notice each two lines feature an end rhyme in an aabbccdd… pattern. Secondly, you’ll notice that while lines 1 and 2 are written in iambic tetrameter, lines 3 and 4 are written in iambic trimeter. Thirdly, you’ll notice that–and this is an important feature unique to the Horatian ode–the pattern set in the first four lines is repeated without variation in each subsequent quatrain.
Requirements of the Form
Structure
Any number of stanzas that unvaringly follow the pattern set by the first stanza. Stanzas can be of any length, but Horatian odes usually feature repeating stanzas of two to four lines. Enjambment is allowed.
Content
– Tone tends toward philosophical, contemplative, gently playful, tranquil – Style is sophisticated and formal, but not restrictive
Meter
Meter is chosen at the discretion of the poet. Again, the important factor is consistency from stanza to stanza. Iambic meter is commonly used in English.
Rhyme
Rhyme schemes vary, but (again) subsequent stanzas must repeat the pattern set by the first stanza. Lines are always end-rhymed.
An Original Horatian Ode
A Horatian Ode to the World Goddess
The Goddess of the World, I sing– Her many forms and faces bring The light of fertile life, The fear of judgement’s knife.
Like Draupadi of Indian fame, Born of the sacrificial flame– Where she perceives a wall, Illusion’s palace falls.
Or Anath, golden Canaanite, Her retribution fierce and right, She’ll cut you with a word, Then feed you to the birds.
The Cywydd llosgyrnog is the second Welsh form of this challenge and includes many of the features you come to expect from a Welsh form including: strict syllable count, both end rhymes and internal rhymes, and an extremely difficult-to-pronounce (and spell) name!
Using this handy online Guide to Welsh Pronunciation, the best I can suss out as far as the pronunciation of this form would sound something like “kuh-with th-laws-gurr-nog,” but please understand this is only an educated guess.
Requirements of the Form
The Cywydd llosgyrnog form prescribes no restrictions in content or meter, but there are various other requirements that must be adhered to rather strictly.
Form
– Consists of any number of single six-line stanzas (sestets)
Syllable Count
– Lines 1, 2, 4 and 5 contain eight syllables – Lines 3 and 6 have seven syllables
Rhyme
-End rhymes (lines 1-6): aabccb -Internal rhymes (lines 3 and 6*): ac *generally falling on syllable 3 or 4
When I stop to watch the deep blue Evening descend and the last few Fading hues of daylight’s dream Diffuse into the sloping plains A peace upon my mind again Falls like rain into a stream
The Minute Poem is a modern form of unknown origin. Despite it’s name–and fortunately for us–the Minute Poem is not a poem that you must write in 60 seconds. Rather, it’s a poem consisting of exactly sixty syllables. Further requirements in length, meter, and rhyme help this form stand out and make for a fun and fairly simple challenge.
Lucky for us, the Minute Poem counts syllables, not seconds.
Requirements of the Form
Form
– Consists of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) for a total of twelve lines
Meter
– Strict iambic (unstressed-stressed)
Syllable Count
– Eight syllables in the first line of each stanza – Four syllables in the proceeding lines of each stanza
Rhyme Scheme
– aabb/ccdd/eeff
Requirements Breakdown
1-xxxxxxxa 2-xxxa 3-xxxb 4-xxxb
5-xxxxxxxc 6-xxxc 7-xxxd 8-xxxd
9-xxxxxxxe 10-xxxe 11-xxxf 12-xxxf
An Original Minute Poem
I often sleep through summer’s storm
I often sleep through summer’s storm when nights are warm and thick with dreams or so it seems
the quilt pulled high covers my eyes as lightning flies like moon in shroud of creeping cloud
I wake to find the darkened road the flowers bowed the sagging sky the river high
**Special Announcement: This week’s post will feature a bonus original poem from poet and singer-songwriter Brandon Barnett!**
Meet the Décima
The Décima poetic form is widely used in poetry and song throughout Spain and Latin America, though the requirements may vary somewhat by region. People who write and perform décimas are often referred to as decimistas or deimeros. The form is also known as the espinela in Spanish, after the creator of the modern version of the décima, writer and musician Vicente Gómez Martínez-Espinel.
Photo caption: Spanish writer and musician Vicente Gómez Martínez-Espinel
Regional Variations
A few regional variations are listed below. Pick your favorite, or try them all!
Puerto Rico: Consists of a 10-line stanza, with 8 syllables per line (octosyllabic) and an abbaaccddc rhyme scheme
Italy: The decima Italiana is a 10-line poem, with 8-syllable lines and an ababcdedec rhyme scheme
Ecuador: Here the décima is a 44-line poem made up of a quatrain and four ten-line stanzas. It’s nearly identical to the glosa poetic form
Poetry and Song
The song form of the décima usually consists of 44 lines and is often improvised. Much like the “freestyle rap battle” of modern hip-hop, Decimeros often challenge one another with dueling songs as a way to show off the composer’s wit and skill.
Requirements of the Form
The requirements listed below are for the Puerto Rican poetic form:
Form
– Single 10-line stanza
Content
-Subject matter varies widely, but common themes include philosophy religion, and politics. Satirical décimas are often humorous.
Syllable Count
– 8 syllables per line
Rhyme Scheme
– abbaaccddc
An Original Décima Poem
After Maria
The cameras flash, Trump fakes a smile; He holds his breath, swallows a growl, And throws a roll of paper towels. Empathy missed by a mile For Puerto Rico, enchanted isle. No concern for the common health of neighbors in the commonwealth; Once slaving for the hacienda, Victims of encomienda, They fight to own a sense of self.
*An Original Décima Poem by Special Guest, Brandon Barnett*
We never knocked on rust-streaked doors but entered like the bums we were with hair so ragged–greased like fur– and alcohol from every pore
The only word we spoke was “more!” with glassy eyes on shining things refulgent suds the evening brings and singing out in harmony
But all that now is far from me Though oft-recalled with mem’ry strings
52 Forms Revisited: this post has been revised and streamlined with refreshed links and new original content (November 2025)
John Milton (1608-1674)
The Miltonic Sonnet is named after the 17th century English poet, political writer, and civil servant, John Milton. With the publishing of his epic poem Paradise Lost, widely regarded as one of the greatest works written in the English language, Milton solidified his reputation as one of the greatest English poets of his time. Milton’s work would go on to influence Romantic poets such as William Blake and William Wordsworth.
Photo caption: A wood engraving from the 19th century depicts a blind John Milton dictating his influential epic poem “Paradise Lost” (Fortuné Louis Méaulle / Wellcome Library)
Milton’s Sonnet
Starting with the then-popular Petrachan sonnet (named for Italian poet-scholar Petrach), Milton made several changes to make the form his own. He took the sonnet out of the category of love poem and brought it into the spheres of politics, religion, and social issues. He also introduced enjambment (the technique of carrying one line through into the next), while at the same time removing the break between the first and second stanzas, thus tightening up the form. By removing the volta (also known as a pivot, or turn) after the octave (first eight lines) and varying the rhyme scheme of the sestet (proceeding six lines), he further reshaped the form.
The following poem—one of Milton’s most famous—demonstrates these contributions to the evolution of the sonnet:
“When I Consider How My Light Is Spent”*
When I consider how my light is spent, Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest He returning chide; “Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?” I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need Either man’s work or His own gifts. Who best Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best. His state Is kingly: thousands at His bidding speed, And post o’er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait.”
– Fourteen lines – No spaces between parts (written as a single stanza) – Lines contain enjambment eg: Who best / Bear His mild yoke…His state / Is kingly…
Content
– Occasional (celebrating an event), political, and religious subjects – Unlike other sonnets, does not have a distinct volta (or pivot) after the eighth line
Meter
– Iambic pentameter (ten syllables per line, unstressed-stressed pattern).
RhymeScheme
– First eight lines (octave): abbaabba – Preceding six lines (sestet): often cdecde, but variable
An Original Miltonic Sonnet
The viral image haunted every screen— A photograph too horrid to ignore: A pair of bloated bodies on the shore. In Congress followed yet another scene Of bickering and washing white-hands clean. No older than The Virgin when she bore The Savior that they claim to so adore, The budding mother wonders what they mean. As children hungry, dirty, sick and scared Are torn away and locked in concrete halls Lay weak with worry, overwhelmed with fear, The value of their lives is weighed and tared; As Washington debates the costs of walls, Who dares to speak of Christ’s compassion here?
Notes on My Original Sonnet
I challenged myself to write a sonnet that was true to the Miltonic themes of politics, religion, and current events, and found in the issue of immigration a combination of all three. The line “children hungry, dirty, sick and scared” was taken from this BBC News article and served as the fulcrum of this poem.
Wordsmiths and Versifiers, Rhymesters and Sonneteers, Bards and Balladeers…
Welcome to the Fifty-Two Form Poetry Challenge!
The Challenge: Fifty-Two Forms in Fifty-Two Weeks.
In preparation for this challenge, I’ve collected as many unique poetic forms as I could find, giving each a number. Over the next 52 weeks, I’ll randomly select one form each week and make my best attempt to write an original poem, taking care to follow the chosen form’s particular conventions. I’ll share what I’ve learned along the way, with lots of links to further resources that I’ve found useful.
In each weekly post, I’ll provide an overview of the selected form, including a brief history, specific form requirements (meter, rhyme, syllable-count, etc.), and a few tips and techniques I found useful when working in the form. Each post will conclude with an original poem.
What you’ll need to play along:
– A list of at least 52 unique forms. I suggest collecting as many as you can (why not?). Robert Lee Brewer’s List of 168 Poetic Forms for Poets is a great place to start. Assign a number to each form you collect.
– A way to randomly select a number from 1 to 52. You can use an online random-number generator or fifty-two slips of paper in a ten-gallon hat. Have fun with it!
About the Author
I am not a professional writer or even a published poet. I am not a professor, scholar, or literary historian, and I speak with little authority on the subject of poetry as a whole. I do, however, consider myself an earnest enthusiast and lifelong student of poetry. As an undergrad, I had the extreme privilege of studying creative writing under former Kansas Poet Laureate Kevin Rabas at Emporia State University, and poetry under another Kansas Poet Laureate, the wonderful Eric McHenry, at Washburn University in Topeka.
As a songwriter, I’m especially interested in the intersection between music and poetry, and I’m excited to explore all the possible ways I may find to incorporate aspects of what I learn through this process into my songwriting endeavors. I believe all things are enhanced by the clarity, power, and imagination that a poetic perspective can bring.
This is my first attempt at such a lengthy challenge, and will also be my first time regularly publishing online. I embark on this adventure on the day of my 36th birthday. Please wish me luck, courage, and fortitude!
References and Acknowledgements
Robert Lee Brewer’s List of 168 Poetic Forms for Poets for The Writer’s Digest [updated 4/1/25] served both as an inspiration for the project and an essential online source of reference information and examples.
Edward Hirsch’s 700+ page A Poet’s Glossary is an exhaustive and equally indispensable source of both information and inspiration. Hirsch’s How to Read a Poem is also highly recommended.
Both aspiring and long-practicing poets would do well to keep a copy of Mary Oliver’s concise and gracefully crafted A Poetry Handbook close at hand.
On a more personal note, a special thanks to Eric McHenry for his invaluable guidance and enthusiastic support.
Astra Poetica 