Pantoum

by S. L. P. Van der Veer

Autumn 2000

Originating in Malay, the pantoum was introduced into France, and is considered to be a French form. Unlike the sonnet, which still enjoys a standing as a means of expressing serious poetry, the pantoum, along with most of the other fixed verse forms, has become primarily a venue for light verse.

The pantoum is, at first glance, relatively simple. Consisting of four-line stanzas, or quatrains, there is no need to count syllables, no concern over whether there is enough alliteration. There is, however, rhyming to be done. The first line rhymes with the third line, and the second line with the fourth.

This is where the form gets a bit more complicated. The second and fourth lines of one stanza become the first and third lines of the next. In addition, the first and third lines of the first stanza become the fourth and second lines of the last stanza, so the pantoum begins and ends with the same line. In overview, this gives the pantoum a rhyme scheme of abab, bcbc, cdcd, and so on.

Raise a Glass

by S.L.P Van der Veer

 

Strike up a tune and raise a glass ~

it’s time now to be merry.

Health to every lad and lass,

be they human, elf or faery.

 

It’s time now to be merry,

to celebrate with kith and kin,

be they human, elf or faery,

for who knows when we’ll meet again.

 

To celebrate with kith and kin,

we have come from far and near,

for who knows when we’ll meet again

with all those we hold dear.

 

We have come from far and near ~

we shall sing and dance and play

with all those we hold dear,

be they human or be they fae.

 

We shall sing and dance and play.

Health to every lad and lass,

be they human or be they fae.

Strike up a tune and raise a glass.

For Additional Information

Orientales by Victor Hugo

Works of Ernest Fouinet

Works of Brander Matthews

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