The Con-Verse, created by Connie Marcum Wong, consists of three or more 2-line rhyming stanzas (couplets). The meter of this form is in syllabic verse.

Rhyme scheme: aa,bb,cc,dd,ee
Meter: 7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,11,11

(Syllabic verse only counts the number of syllables in a line.)

This form consists of three or more couplets which ascend by one syllable up to and until you reach a syllabic count of eleven which would contain ten lines.

This process may be repeated for a longer verse. If repeated, you must begin your first couplet with the syllabic count of seven again and continue from there.

Example #1:

Grace

Faith smiled sweetly with closed eyes. 
Hope laid bare her enterprise. . . 

Charity danced around the floor. 
Grace then entered the open door.

She required little help to save 
All those beings who would misbehave. 

Copyright © 2010 Connie Marcum Wong

Example #2:

Mother and the Moon

The moon hung full and tinted
the august sky: she squinted

 
imagining its lacy smile...
a star kept twinkling all the while.

How still the air: she heard a chuckle
just there beyond the honeysuckle!

"Who’s there?” she whispered as she looked around.
There followed footsteps scamp’ring on the ground!

Through fragrant yellow flowers stepped no other
in moon glow’s dancing glitter than dear Mother.

Copyright © 2010 Jan Turner

Example #3:

Seasons

The twisted limbs of Winter
When daylight is a splinter

Remember gentle blossoming
And music of the early Spring

And the heat of Summer's golden days
Short dry nights of sound and shimmering haze.

Or Autumn's vibrant shades of red and gold
Too brilliant for Winter to enfold.

Copyright © 2010 Pam H. Murray