Rhyme and Reason.

Unlike the more modern Blitz and Cascade styles, Rimas Dissolutas poems have enchanted hundreds of generations of poets. Its name, which translates to “dissolved rhyme”, provides a clue into the mysteries of this ancient form. Unlike many of its brother and sister styles of poetry, the Rimas Dissolutas uses variability within meter and stressed syllables to lay a beautiful platform for poets to practice syllable count and rhymes.

Rimas Dissolutas is one of the more fluid forms of the troubadouric verses, having originated from 12th-13th century France. Troubadours are knights in 11th-13th century France and Italy who were known for their lyric poetry. Often sung, these poems featured the desires and worries of the knights at the time. The styles offered enough freedom within the lines to allow each knight to customize their poems with subtle differences and variations, while maintaining well-known elements. 

 Despite the centuries that passed, the form has not really changed, and the beauty in its simplicity still astounds readers and writers alike. The poem’s limitations do not originate from the form itself, rather, from the individual length and meter of the first stanza. Like the Cascade, the number of lines in the first stanza corresponds to the number of lines in all following stanzas. In addition, and what makes the Rimas Dissolutas stand out, is that all of the lines in the poem are isosyllabic, or have the same number of syllables. 

On top of the challenge syllable count presents, there is a strict rhyme scheme, although the pattern is unorthodox compared to other forms of poetry. The first line of each stanza rhymes with the first line of every other stanza, and this repeats for as many lines and stanzas as the poet desires. Initially, this makes the poem seem like it has no set rhyme scheme since there is no internal rhyme within each stanza. This means the poem needs at least two stanzas to work. 

The writer can also employ an envoi, which is similar to a conclusion. They are typically about half of the length of the previous stanzas and the rhyme scheme uses the rhymes that appear later in each verse. 

While all of the syllables and rhyming can seem very constricting, the uniqueness in the Rimas Dissolutas offer special opportunities to play with the overall feel of the poem. Short stanzas lead to the rhyme scheme becoming very noticeable, while longer verses let the rhymes fade into the background. In addition, because the end sounds must be reused, more verses means that the writer runs the risk of repeating words because they ran out of rhymes. To avoid this, writers should try to use words that have many solid rhymes. 

Overall, Rimas Dissolutas stood the test of time beautifully through clever employment of rhymes, syllable count, and maintaining freedom through uniformity. Try your hand at this astounding, centuries old style. 

Night Confessions

Serafina Kubersky

Whispered words muddled through the phone

sad and heavy as night’s dark.

Even stars will shy from the start.

a Sleepless bed’s a cruel throne.

piercing thoughts Haunt and Spin and Spark

Hold the hopes too close to your heart.

Brush it off, Stand up, Stand alone

your fake faces never left a mark.

Keep secrets where your morals part