How to Write a Quatrain

By eHow Education Editor

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The most common stanza form used in English poetry, a quatrain is simply a four-line stanza. It may have a rhyme scheme, a meter, both or neither. The term quatrain also refers to any four-line poem.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

  • Dictionaries
  • Thesauri

Step1
Consider the subject matter that you wish to write about.
Step2
Look at different rhyme schemes before writing your poem and experiment with as many forms as you can. This will help you become more comfortable working with forms and you will be less likely to use the same form every time.
Step3
Select a rhyme scheme either before or while writing. To make the rhyme scheme less noticeable, use slant rhymes and enjambment.
Step4
Write four lines of poetry.
Step5
Repeat as desired, but remember to skip a line when beginning a new stanza.
Step6
Revise as needed.

Tips & Warnings

  • Variations abound but include heroic quatrain (iambic pentameter/any rhyme scheme); Italian quatrain (iambic pentameter/abba rhyme scheme); and Sicilian quatrain (iambic pentameter/abab rhyme scheme).

Comments

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on 7/3/2008 This weird comment above me now
Just talks about couplets a lot
But since its wrong I must speak out
We really do not give a toss

ABAB iambic tetrameter :D

Anonymous

Anonymous said

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on 6/30/2006 Try to write double couplet with a rhyme scheme, it will work, trust me.

(example)
The cat went to the food (a)
and noticed he was out(b)
so he went to his master and cooed(a)
but then to his surprise is master shooed him out to leave to pout. (b)

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eHow Article:  How to Write a Quatrain

eHow Education Editor

eHow Education Editor

Category: Education

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