Rondeau Redoublé

This form has a 25-line poem comprised mostly of quatrains. 

Here are the basic guidelines for this poetic form:

• Lines are usually eight syllables long
• Each line of the first quatrain is a refrain
• Rhyme scheme: A1B1A2B2/babA1/abaB1/babA2/abaB2/babaR
• The final "R" line represents a rentrement, which means the first couple words or first phrase of the opening line is used

• For this event, write at 4 stanza rondeau redoublé on any topic of your choosing.

Perhaps It Was Fate (Sample poem by Rober Brewer)

Perhaps it was fate you and I

ended up on our little date

surrounded by the grass and sky

smelling roses 'til half past eight.

I know we'll never duplicate

the awe and wonder of those sighs

when every small thing felt so great.

Perhaps it was fate you and I

elevated ourselves so high.

When others may have said, "Just wait,"

we did not. Instead, you and I

ended up on our little date,

because we had to take the bait

after catching each other's eye

almost as if straight out the gate

surrounded by the grass and sky.

Here I am, and I'm still your guy,

though I've added a bit of weight

and you put up with all of my

smelling roses 'til half past eight.

Perhaps we share some common trait

that draws from the other a sigh

for even as the hour grows late

we've no intent to say, "Good-bye."

Perhaps it was fate.
~*~

Click here for submission guidelines and rules.

Submission deadline: May 20, 2026

Results: May 27, 2026

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