Terza rima is a poetic form that employs a specific rhyme scheme and structure. It's characterized by:
1. Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme is ABA, BCB, CDC, DED, and so on. Each line rhymes with the first and third lines of the preceding tercet (a group of three lines).
2. Structure: Terza rima usually consists of tercets, but it can also include a concluding couplet (two lines that rhyme).
3. Flowing Effect: The overlapping rhyme scheme creates a seamless flow, making the poem feel like it's constantly moving forward.
Example:
"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot
> Let us go then, you and I,
> When the evening is spread out against the sky
> Like a patient etherized upon a table;
> Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
> The muttering retreats
> Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
How it works:
* The first line ("Let us go then, you and I") rhymes with the third line ("upon a table").
* The second line ("When the evening is spread out against the sky") rhymes with the first line of the next tercet ("Let us go").
* This pattern continues throughout the poem, creating a continuous chain of rhymes.
Key Features:
* Emphasis on flow and continuity.
* Creates a sense of interwoven thoughts and ideas.
* Can be used for a variety of subjects and tones.
Famous Examples:
* "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri
* "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot
* "The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Terza rima is a challenging yet rewarding form to write in. It requires careful attention to language and rhyme, but it can produce powerful and memorable poems.