The PantoumThe PantoumBy T. Meldrum

April 2009

The PantoumThe PantoumOld Malayan verse form, often sung

Introduced into French poetry in the 19th Century

Structured chain form

Can have any number of stanzas

Revived by Victor Hugo in Les Orientals

Later adopted by English poets

Usual ContentUsual Content

Rather like stream of consciousness because of repetition of lines

Works well for memories, inner exploration, dream-like ideas, making a circular statement

Often feels slow, or dreamlike because of the repetition

StructureStructureEach line is used twiceLines may be of varying lengths

Each stanza is a quatrain There is a rhyme scheme of abab in each

quatrain

Traditionally, the first two lines of each quatrain present an image or an allusion; the second two lines of each quatrain convey the theme and meaning, and may not have an obvious connection with the first two lines

StructureStructure1 first234

2546

5768

79810

9111012

113121 first

There can be any number of stanzas, but fewer than four doesn’t allow the pattern to be seen.

Desert Dawning Desert Dawning by Anne Johnson

The desert awakes with a whispered sigh.

A jackrabbit scurries through the brush

while far above a raven cries.Dawn breaks from a frozen hush.

A jackrabbit scurries through the brush

bent on finding food to eat.Dawn breaks from a frozen hush,the cold chill of the night retreats.

Bent on finding food to eat,a roadrunner darts across the sand.The cold chill of the night retreatsas fiery warmth fills the land.

Notice how it takes two lines to make complete sentence.

A roadrunner darts across the sandin the shadow of a towering saguaro.As fiery warmth fills the landthe cactus wren peers at a beetle

below.

In the shadow of a towering saguaroa bevy of quail march by in a line.The cactus wren peers at a beetle

below.On a sunny rock the lizard reclines.

A bevy of quail march by in a linewhile far above a raven cries.On a sunny rock the lizard reclines.The desert awakes with a whispered

sigh.

Notice the use of rhyme and how the lines repeat. There are small changes in some lines.

My Own Breath My Own Breath - student pantoum - student pantoum

 I can see my own breathI can feel my own heartbeating in my own chestfaster than a go-kart and I can feel my own heartracing and racingfaster than a go-kartelapsing laps like pacing racing and racingto my complacent distractionelapsing laps like pacingthat I could chop like a fraction... 

...with my complacent distractionlike a laugh from a coughI could chop like a fraction'cause a half is a lot And like a laugh to a coughI'm feeling sadly mistaken'cause a half is a lotin the path that I've taken I'm feeling sadly mistakenso my heart gets quickbut in the path that I've takenI guess it is what it is So my heart gets quickPumping in my own chestI guess it is what it isI can see My Own Breath

Dragons remind me of youDragons remind me of you - student poem - student poemThe snow falls softly to the groundAs I lie awake and think of youRemembering when you were always

aroundFrom our imaginations, dragons and

princesses grew

As I lie awake and think of youMemories come flooding inFrom our imaginations, dragons and

princesses grewFighting and conquering, we would always

win

 Memories keep flooding inWe played, we danced, we ran, we sangFighting and conquering we would winAnnouncing our victory with a mighty loud

BANG

We played, we danced, we ran, we sangWater guns held high in the airAnnouncing our victory with a mighty loud

BANGConquering dragons in their dark dungeon

lair

Water guns held high in the airFull of joy at our day's successOf conquering dragons in their dark

dungeon lairCovered in dirt, a rip in my dress

 Full of joy at our day's successSmiling we left that world behindCovered in dirt, a rip in my dressWe played all day, no regard for time

Smiling we left that world behindNow memories left to reminisceWe played all day, no regard for timeThose days of ignorance I'll truly miss

Now memories left to reminisceRemembering when you were always

aroundThose days of ignorance I'll truly missAs the snow falls softly to the ground

sought, without soundthe tide pulls awaylaying low to the groundi go over my day. the tide pulls awaywhile the moon lights the skyi go over my daywhen the waves pass on by. while the moon lights the skysome choose to settle their nightwhen the waves pass on bythe soft remain bright. some choose to settle their nightor surrender to godsthe soft remain brightbut we fail against odds.

or surrender to godskeeping goals clearbut we fail against oddswhile the end remains near. 

keeping goals clearmuch deeper than coalwhile the end remains nearthey still want your soul. 

much deeper than coallaying low to the groundthey still want your soulsought, without sound.By e.r.w.

Your Turn …Your Turn …

Brainstorm ideas involving memories, journeys, dreams, circular ideas

Bonus – the next stanza is half written

Usually you will need to revisit grammar and line breaks to make the lines work

If the rhyme is too hard, don’t worry about it. Some people find rhyme easy, others don’t.

BibliographyBibliography

University course handouts. 1996.

Unst, Ariade. “The Pantoum Verse Form”. Accessed 2008. http://baymoon.com/~ariadne/form/pantoum.htm