The La'ritmo, created by Laura Lamarca, consists of 8 4-line stanzas. Each line MUST contain 12 syllables.

Rhyme scheme is as follows: aabb ccbB ddbB eeff ggfF hhfF iibB jjfF

The repetition of 4th line in each stanza can either be an exact repetitive line, or a variation with the exact same end-rhyme word.

The form was created by me, Laura Lamarca, but was officially named by Chandni Hingorani. "La" is Laura Lamarca's signature and "ritmo" in Italian, simply means "rhythm".

Example:

Between belligerence's beats

He hankered after hardships with mutiny's mouth
to grow much greener grass in a sweet-smelling south,
yet those cleats caused concerns where her feet couldn't tread,
while sanity simmered...like a journey undead.

A rank stench of deceit gathered grief in her eyes,
as she watched crimson streak, till it stifled her cries;
she summed-up her sorrows, while his lies seethed unsaid
and sanity simmered...like a journey undead.

He was mere expedition 'cross her maiden ways--
a purpose, his pleasure...just a filler of days;
yet he stole all she showed and then sung till she bled,
while sanity simmered...like a journey undead.

He came on a week day with intent to abuse,
to offer his guidance...for himself to amuse
and he spoke in need's tones till he'd taught her to taste
the hues of his heart and its vast chasms of waste...

So she clung to his tongue, became one with his words
and entered his tall tales, where she never was heard
and oh how she pained for self worth and for her haste
and the hues of his heart...those vast chasms of waste.

Equality echoed...fingers found warmth indoors
and she snuggled so close to the stains of his core,
her path was once blinded by those dreams he defaced,
with hues of his heart and its vast chasms of waste.

She stands on these tracks...reminds her soul of his shames,
to relinquish herself as the pawn of his games
and she feels she has won...for his soul stays unfed
while sanity simmers...like a journey undead.

She is free from the burden of his bullshit breath,
by narrowly evading the stench of love's death...
for his foolishness faltered in trust he misplaced,
as the hues of his heart now lay dormant...as waste.

Copyright © 2013 Laura Lamarca