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Shakespeare's Monkeys

Infinite Monkeys. Infinite Typewriters.

More in Structures, Styles and Sonnetation

Descort

A French form requiring that each line of the poem to be different from every other line in all ways.  It has no fixed length.  It often mixes meters or syllable counts to create a discord. Descort means a 'quarrel' or 'discord'.  It was also used by troubadors as a song of disagreement, which is emphasised by unusual metric structures and if there is a rhyme it's irregular.

Here is another definition from Poetrybase/Poetry Gnosis:

Descort is French for "discord", and the form is almost more of a non-form. It requires that each stanza or verse have some similar lyrical elements; however, that they be totally different forms. Each stanza should be verse, that is, a structured portion of poetry, but not the same. They can conform to known verse structures or be nonce forms. Some descorts have even used different languages in different stanzas.

Hope this helps anyone wanting to write a Descort.

Yours truly,

The Unicorn.

 

avatar
Stephan Ansteyfrom Lowell, MA
Associate, 6232 posts

on Jan. 29 2008


Ahh! The discordant joy of formless form.
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