by Ella D'Arcy

Created on: May 18, 2007   Last Updated: May 21, 2007

The pantoum we know today is a repetitious poem of four or more stanzas; sometimes formal quatrains with specific rhymes in a fixed form, sometimes more playful in free verse, yet never in less than four quatrains but often carried on ad infinitum, as if the poet didn't know how to stop. Even though the rules have been relaxed, the pantoum is still a poem which needs more than usual control.

The original pantoum, or 'pantun', consisted strictly of 16 lines in 4 stanzas, in which each line had to be built with only 8 syllables. These lines also had to rhyme abba, which meant that only two rhymes could be used throughout the poem. Often two different subjects would be addressed in two each of the lines in the first stanza. How this progressed in the rest of the puntan', of course relied on the skill of the poet. No easy feat by any means.

Now, writing a pantoum is a bit like going into a well to be able to fetch the moon reflected in the water. However, if you feel adventurous and would like to try and play around with some rules and regulations, I promiss you it could become quite addictive.

Have a look at the pantoum I wrote as an example according to the following scheme:
First stanza: 1 2 3 4 / second stanza: 2 5 4 6 / third stanza: 5 7 6 8 /
Fourth stanza: 7 9 8 10 / fifth stanza: 9 3 10 1, with abab rhymes. I used 5 quatrains, but don't hesitate to write 16; practice makes perfect. I chose to use dreamlike words, which I often do, as it seems to me to fit the dreamlike quality of the pantoum, but you choose whatever moves you. And now you're ready to begin.

Just remember that your first line will also be your last line, so let it express the message you want to carry across. And for the same reason, choose a solid 3rd line in this your first quatrain. You have a theme? Why not use the same as I did - something to do with a you and a me. Whatever ... start building your pantoum. Or maybe, glance at the poem and then read to the end.

Breeze over Water

1 Breeze over water move clouds in waves
2 While waters mirror clouds up above
3 What belongs together each other craves
4 Like being bound together by love

2 While waters mirror clouds up above
5 You and I together in a boat
4 Like being bound together by love
6 We dream along while we float

5 You and I together in a boat
7 While around us an old-old story is told
6 We dream along while we float
8 and in our hands a future we mold

7 Around us old stories are retold
9 words and feelings converge to prove
8 how with our hands a

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