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Hi everyone. Happy autumn season from Ontario, Canada. And for those celebrating Halloween, I hope you have a fun spooky time. The time change for us in North America is happening this Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. Our blog follows the EST time change as well.   I personally look forward to the extra one hour this weekend as this means more light in the morning.

For today’s poetry form, we are revisiting Dizain which we posted back in 2019 with guest host, Rosemary Nissen Wade. Here’s a quick introduction of the form:

The dizain is a 10-line French poetic form, traditionally composed of a single stanza. It follows a strict rhyme scheme of ABABBCCDCD and typically uses 10 syllables per line. Popularized by French poets in the 15th and 16th centuries, it has also been adapted by English writers.

Structure and characteristics
Stanza: The poem consists of one 10-line stanza.

Syllables: Each line typically contains 10 syllables, often in iambic pentameter. In some instances, poets have used eight syllables per line.

Rhyme scheme: The standard rhyme scheme is ABABBCCDCD, creating a distinct pattern. The second half of the poem (CCDCD) is sometimes noted as a reversal of the first half’s pattern (ABABB), though with new rhyme sounds.

Origin: The dizain originated in France and was embraced by French poets during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Examples: In his poem “Names,” Brad Osborne follows the dizain structure:

If true that a rose by another name (A)
Holds in its fine form fragrance just as sweet (B)
If vivid beauty remains just the same (A)
And if other qualities are replete (B)
With the things that make a rose so complete (B)
Why bother giving anything a name. (C)
Then on whom may I place deserved blame (C)
When new people’s names I cannot recall (D)
There seems to be an underlying shame (C)
So why do we bother with names at all (D)

Here is mine, back in 2019:

Sayuri-san
by Grace Guevara

what lies beneath your lacquered eyes, are you
hiding a jewel, onyx as pain from
hundred lashes of errant word. you brew
your secrets, guard your wide gold sleeves with cane
has venom tinged your blood to rust, a bane
once, your laughter was black raven’s clone
as you bargain with harvest moon for bones
rise, dispel this ghostly ritual at night
press your red hot lips against the limestone
unbound your robe & step into moonlight

Poetry challenge: Write a dizain poem following the structure as described above. You can choose any theme of your choice.

New to dVerse? Here’s how to join in:

*Write a 10-line Dizain poem in response to the challenge.
*Enter a link directly to your poem and your name by clicking Mr. Linky below
and remember to check the little box to accept the use/privacy policy.
*You will find links to other poets and more will join so please do check
back later in order to read their poems.
*Read and comment on other poets’ work–we all come here to have our poems read.
*Please link back to dVerse from your site/blog.