Here's the "formula" for the end-word pattern of a sestina.
1 6 3 5 4 2
2 1 6 3 5 4
3 5 4 2 1 6
4 2 1 6 3 5
5 4 2 1 6 3
6 3 5 4 2 1
My eyes almost rolled out of my head when I first saw that! A note of background: the sestina originated when court-poets or somebody like that wanted to do something extraordinarily tricky, or something like that.
But it's really not as complicated as it looks once you get used to the pattern. At first I didn't see the point of making poetry so complicated, but I've read some brilliant sestinas (here's one by Miller Williams: The Shrinking Lonesome Sestina).
I don't know if I will ever master it, but at least now I can say I've written one. Click here to read my sestina, "February."
But it's really not as complicated as it looks once you get used to the pattern. At first I didn't see the point of making poetry so complicated, but I've read some brilliant sestinas (here's one by Miller Williams: The Shrinking Lonesome Sestina).
I don't know if I will ever master it, but at least now I can say I've written one. Click here to read my sestina, "February."
Disclaimer: my reference to high school love is a generalization. I know of cases where high school love turned out successful and long-lasting.
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