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Sunday, December 22, 2013

LaJemme

The LaJemme is a 5 stanza form created by poets Laura Lamarca and Jem Farmer.

Syllalbic:          10/10/10/10  8/8/8/6 8/8/8/6  10/10/10/10  10/10/10/10
End Rhyme Pattern:  abab cdfe gfdf hihi abab
Cross-rhyme required and interleaved rhyme required.
Expanded rhyme pattern:
 a(ab)(ba)(ab)(dc)(cd)(fe)(ef)g(gf)(fd)(df)h(hi)(ih)(hi)a(ab)(ba)(ab)
Where the first letter in parentheses is syllable 4, the second is end rhyme.
Meter: consistently iambic


As stated by the inventors:

Stanza 1, 10 syllables per line, Rhyme scheme abab, 4th syllable of each line is to rhyme with the end rhyme of the preceding line.

Stanza 2, syllable count: 8/8/8/6, Rhyme scheme cdef, with cross rhymes in each couplet on 4th syllable

Stanza 3, syllable count 8/8/8/6, Rhyme scheme gfdf, 4th syllable of each line follows the same rule as stanza 1.

Stanza 4, 10 syllables per line, Rhyme scheme hihi, 4th syllable of each line is to rhyme with the end rhyme of the preceding line.

Stanza 5, 10 syllables per line, Rhyme scheme abab, 4th syllable of each line is to rhyme with the end rhyme of the preceding line.



Note: I would have been much happier if the poets had required cross-rhyme in both short line stanzas, for sake of elegance and consistency.

Example poem.
Celeste     (LaJemme)









She comes some nights from mists beyond the sea
and sings to me the songs of sirens lore.
Notes float ashore in tones of upper C
that guarantee a mortal won't ignore.
I'm driven then to leave my wife
and leave my life behind again
and simply go as lemmings do.
This much is true, you know.
The amber glow within her eyes
would not surprise a wizard though
they do bestow control that men
succumb to when they glow.
She uses me to quench her mortal thirst
and from the first I've risen to her game.
I cannot tame the fires for she's well versed
and has rehearsed her wiles to much acclaim.
Her origin remains a mystery
It's plain to see she's easy to adore
and wanting more, to me comes naturally
I heed her plea and dance to her sweet score.

© Lawrencealot - December 19, 2014

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