How to Write a Bref Double

The Bref Double is a French form of poetry that's similar to a sonnet. It is made up of complex rhyme scheme within 3 quatrains and a couplet of lines (or 14 lines). It does not utilize a specific meter, but all of the lines should be consistent in length. No one is quite sure about the exact rhyme scheme because Bref Doubles of various rhyme schemes can be found. However, it is a fair assessment that the poem should have 3 rhymes and 4 or 5 lines without a rhyme. The most common rhyme scheme appears to be axbc, xaxc, axab and ab, where "x" means lines without a rhyme.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Begin stanza one. Write line one with 6 syllables (example: "with crystal flakes of snow").
2. Write line two with 6 syllables (example: "falling down on my face").
3. Write line three with 6 syllables (example: "cold wind flows around me").
4. Write line four with 6 syllables (example: "peaceful feeling embraces").
5. Begin stanza two. Write line five with 6 syllables (example: "experience alone").
6. Write line six with 6 syllables and a last word that rhymes with the last word of line one (example: "brisk breeze around me flows").
7. Write line seven with 6 syllables (example: "all around me resides").
8. Write line eight with 6 syllables and a last word that rhymes with the last word of line four (example: "beauty of nature's grace").
9. Begin stanza three. Write line nine with six syllables and a last word that rhymes with the last word of line one (example: "an euphoria grows").
10. Write line ten with 6 syllables (example: "wish that lasts forever").
11. Write line eleven with 6 syllables and a last word that rhymes with the last word of line one (example: "heart almost feels aglow").
12. Write line twelve with 6 syllables and a last word that rhymes with the last word of line three (example: "sad, happiness replaces").
13. Begin stanza four. Write line thirteen with 6 syllables and a last word that rhymes with the last word of line one (example: "nowhere I rather go").
14. Write line fourteen with 6 syllables and a last word that rhymes with the last word of line three (example: "than this most safe, clean place").