A Kyrielle is a French form of rhyming poetry written in quatrains (a stanza consisting of 4 lines), and each quatrain contains a repeating line or phrase as a refrain (usually appearing as the last line of each stanza). Each line within the poem consists of only eight syllables. There is no limit to the amount of stanzas a Kyrielle may have, but three is considered the accepted minimum.

Some popular rhyming schemes for a Kyrielle are: aabB, ccbB, ddbB, with B being the repeated line, or abaB, cbcB, dbdB.

Mixing up the rhyme scheme is possible for an unusual pattern of: axaZ, bxbZ, cxcZ, dxdZ, etc. with Z being the repeated line.

The rhyme pattern is completely up to the poet.

Example #1:

My Bouquet

Some days I sing, some days I cry.
My soul's the one determines why.
Sometimes it laughs, sometimes it mourns.
On my bouquet are many thorns.
 
Wake up each day, face a dark cloud.
My happiness wrapped in a shroud.
The day begins; to me it scorns.
On my bouquet are many thorns.
 
Lay down my head, dark nights begun.
With the sad setting of the sun.
From all my sorrows my heart mourns.
On my bouquet are many thorns.

Copyright © 2003 Floria Kelderhouse

Example #2:

Beyond Mere Mind

A blue-white light appeared to me
at the innocent age of three.
Guiding me strongly, yet so kind,
beyond horizons of mere mind.

Given choices, each step I took,
good would tingle and evil shook.
Some paths in life, perhaps, would wind
beyond horizons of mere mind.

At times, I stumbled into pits,
drowning in darkness - causing fits.
Again, I'd see that blue-white find
beyond horizons of mere mind.

As long as I have energy,
onward, I go, on Life's journey.
Spirit, nothing will ever bind,
beyond horizons of mere mind.

Copyright © 2003 James Dean Chase