Seguidilla Poem

Be careful what you wish for. Last week I complained that I didn’t like a form so unstructured, this week I’m finding the form a little too structured. There’s just no pleasing me, is there?

The Seguidilla began as a folk dance in 17th century Spain before evolving into the poetic form. It has alternating long/short lines of 7 syllables and 5 syllables that gives it its rhythm.

It can be written in however many septets (7 line verses) as you wish, although there is a slight pause between lines 4 and 5, often an end stop. This is often marked with a change in thought between lines four and five.

Here’s the schematic for it:

xxxxxxx
xxxxA
xxxxxxx
xxxxA
xxxxB
xxxxxxx
xxxxB

An alternate rhyme scheme is:

xxxxxxx
xxxxA
xxxxxxx
xxxxA
xxxxB
xxxxxxA
xxxxB

I have to admit I struggled with my example. And honestly, I’m not happy with the result although I did manage two verses where the examples I’ve seen only have one. I may revisit this form some day to better do it justice, but for now I’ll just have to share what I managed to come up with.


Autumn

The days grow short, nights are long
death is in the air,
darkness is growing closer,
time to reap with care.
Harvest moon up high
shining down on empty fields,
timeless in the sky.

When harvest time is over
fire lights up the hill
to celebrate the Samhain,
promises fulfilled;
ancient rites achieved
by those who keep the faith if
legend is believed.