Friday, April 22, 2011

Conifer Quatern

As I sat looking out my windows today at the trees out back, the only non brown or gray color was from the pines. Their needles look so green and fanned out like fireworks to me.  Soon they will be relegated to the background scenery, as the finery of the other trees comes out.


A Quatern is a sixteen line French form composed of four quatrains. It is similar to the Kyrielle 
and the Retourne. It has a refrain that is in a different place in each quatrain.
The first line of stanza one is the second line of stanza two, third line of stanza three,
and fourth line of stanza four. 
A quatern has eight syllables per line. It does not have to be iambic or follow a set rhyme scheme.   
Pine tree displays of fireworks green 
Amid the gray of winter scene
With shadows cast from their full boughs
They boast of all the color now
 
As maple and oak in between
Pine tree displays of fireworks green
Begin their tiny buds to grow
Those splendid leaves are now the show
 
Then oak and maple trees turn red
Before their leaves are winter shed
Pine tree displays of fireworks green
Are bits of color in between
 
But soon amid the graying skies
When snow is back and sunshine dies
Once more we’ll gaze upon the scene
Pine tree displays of fireworks green

1 comment:

  1. Again, your rhythm is so smooth, and this time you tell a good story that admires the pine. I like the analogy of fireworks. I've never thought of pine needles on the tree as 'bursts'. I have been cleaning our yard all week, and that involved raking pine needles under our one pine, so have been close to those needles! Thanks for making me take a second look!

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