While studying about poetry, I learned about a new form of poem known as a pantoum. Such a poem can contain a number of stanzas with each stanza making up 4 lines. The rule is to repeat the lines and in doing so link the stanzas together into a continuing story. Repetitive phrases begin in the 2nd stanza as the second and fourth lines of the first stanza become the first and third lines of the next stanza. Follow that pattern with each new stanza until the last. In the last stanza the 2nd and 4th line of the previous refrain still become the 1st and 3rd lines in the final stanza and then also the 1st and 3rd lines of the very first stanza become the 4th and 2nd lines of the last stanza respectively. The poem is linked together in one narrative, or story, with the very first phrase of the poem becoming also the conclusion.
On a warm summer day
The lemon orbed sun had dawned
Stretching its transparent rays
To softly caress the ground.
The lemon orbed sun dawned
Waking the robins and chickadees to sing;
To softly caress the ground
While a twittering chorus does ring.
Waking the robins and chickadees to sing,
The sun continues to rise;
While a twittering chorus rings
Filling the endless prairie sky.
The sun continues to rise
Stretching its transparent rays;
Filling the endless prairie sky
On a warm summer day.
Becky G? Oh, That's Me! 