triolet - Examples

Mediaeval French poem of eight lines, using only two rhymes; the first two lines are repeated as the final two lines, the first line recurs as the fourth. It is a simplified form of rondel.

A triolet (IPA: [ˈtɹiːəˌlɨt], or [ˌtɹiːəˈleɪ]) is a poetic form. Its rhyme scheme is ABaAabAB and all lines are in iambic tetrameter; the first, fourth and seventh lines are identical, as are the second and final lines, thereby making the initial and final couplets identical as well.

Examples

The form stems from medieval French poets - the earliest written examples are from the late 13th century. Some of the earliest known triolets composed in English were written by the Benedictine monk Patrick Carey, who purportedly used them in his devotions.

"Birds At Winter" Thomas Hardy

Notice how in the last line the punctuation is altered; this is common although not strictly in keeping with the original form. Triolets are a reasonably rare form;