At my writing group this week, I was introduced (or maybe re-introduced) to a form of writing known as a ‘Sestina’.
I don’t remember ever talking about this at college although, as I am not a fan of formulaic poetry in general, I may simply have dismissed it.
However, it was the subject for discussion at the group and I was fascinated by the discipline required to write this.
Check out the following links – Elizabeth Bishop’s poem http://www.poetryconnection.net/poets/Elizabeth_Bishop/2957
and also the rules (for there are many!)http://www2.hawaii.edu/~gharada/exercisespoetry/howtosestina.htm
The Rules
This is a simple guide to sestinas!
It is a form of poetry that repeats words at the end of each line. It has six verses of 6 lines each with a 7th verse of three lines to conclude the poem.
The final word of each line is repeated on a different line in each verse:
| Verse 1 | Verse 2 | Verse 3 | Verse 4 | Verse 5 | Verse 6 |
| 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Useful hints and tips:
1. Start by choosing a topic for the sestina so that you know where you are going and what you want to say – this helps a lot when you come to choosing your words!
2. Choose words that have several meanings – eg mean
3. Choose words that can be used as nouns, verbs or adjectives – eg swell
4. Choose a word that can be used anywhere – eg down
5. Choose words that rhyme or alliterate
6. Choose a strong, hard hitting word which will be your end word.
Below is the table that I have started (it helps to fill it in first as I found it was easy to forget the order!)
| Verse 1 | Verse 2 | Verse 3 | Verse 4 | Verse 5 | Verse 6 |
| 1 catalogue | 6 lead | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 2 life | 1 catalogue | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 3 waves | 5 tears | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 4 seed | 2 life | 1 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| 5 tears | 4 seed | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 6 lead | 3 waves | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Choice of words is very important with this form! And the tips are really helpful – a guide worth following. But as you can see from mine, I didn’t really follow the hints and tips because I enjoy a challenge (!!!!) I mean, how useful is the word catalogue and how can I slip that in without it jarring?
Why write to a formula?
As I said earlier, I am not a fan of formulas when writing and yet, I also think that it can be a useful writing tool. It requires discipline and control that tightens the writing, sharpens up the images and can lead to a vivid, powerful work.
I urge you to have a go at it. I am currently working on mine and hope to be able to publish it soon!
I would love to hear your choice of words and how you chose them! I would love to see the finished versions too so feel free to send me your link!
Finally, many thanks to Eileen who introduced this to me!
rawformorelanguage 