Our first poem should be done on Monday. It is in a seldom used French form that I doubt many people will recognize. It's called a Rondel. My friend got to choose the first form. I'll choose the next.

Anyway, if I like it, I might post mine here.

Chances are I will like it. I usually like my poetry.

ABba abAB abbaA turning on a two line refrain marked by capitals in this rhyme scheme. Line length may vary from poem to poem, but should remain consistent within a given example. Form lends itself to... oh, let's see... Cyclical movement, though not as harshly regular as, say Terza Rima or Pantoum. Maybe... hmm. Irregular order, buried laws, the inevitable unexpected. To be honest, the form itself doesn't seem to signify anything particular, which is just fine. I like the ultimate refrain. It boxes it off nicely, although it doesn't allow for implied repetition.

Boom! That's it. The form is based upon a single cycle, rather than a continuous cycle. Birth to death, love to loss... a one way trip. The repetition is all internal... a single scene, a flower that blossoms without going to seed.

For some reason, both of the contemporary examples I have on hand utilize a winter metaphor (one effectively, one not so effectively).