Scala Decima
The Scala Decima poetry form was invented by Holly Jahangiri, who serves on the Boards of both Poets Northwest (in Houston, TX) and the Poetry Society of Texas.
The rules are as follows:
- 10 lines;
- 10 syllables per line (iambic pentameter if you can manage it);
- rhyme on syllable that corresponds to the line numer (i.e., first syllable sets the rhyme; second syllable of second line, third syllable of third line, fourth syllable of fourth line, and so on continue it);
- the rhyming syllable can occur anywhere within a word and need not be the whole word.
Singing Brook
An example of the Scala Decima poetry form.
Grown—like a child that’s free to play, to roam this stone-lined rivulet that gaily runs from known familiar sun-warmed waters. Old bone on bone remembers, lifts its voice— Soft old baritone, sings songs of distant summer’s youth; tries to own its fleeting joy once again, but knows it’s flown too far now— a bird that seeks the seed it’s sown, to rest among the leaves and feathers, windblown yet in seeking home, it will not die alone.
Your Turn!
Try your hand at writing a poem in the Scala Decima form. Feel free to post it in the comments or leave a comment with a link to where we can find your poem.
Win or Lose?
Sunrise calls from a purple horizon,
its stunning crown of golden sunburst rays
flanked—cloudspun scales and feathers facing off
south to north, unhinged, squawking and hissing,
rivals on the hunt for swift victory
in an arena spun from nothingness.
Who will prove themselves the one to withstand,
to outlast time and wind, outrun the grim
reaper himself? Who will tear asunder
life and love just to claim that they have won?
My first poetry play-tester! 😀 I love it – thank you for sharing it here, Necia.
I love this new form! Maybe one day I’ll try it!
Aw thank you! Today is “one day” now! Don’t wait, because tomorrow is “another day” already!
Ooh! Nice! Can’t wait to try this one!
I look forward to reading what you come up with.