The pantoum consists of a series of quatrains rhyming ABAB in which the second and fourth lines of a quatrain recur as the first and third lines in the succeeding quatrain; each quatrain introduces a new second rhyme as BCBC, CDCD. The first line of the series recurs as the last line of the closing quatrain, and third line of the poem recurs as the second line of the closing quatrain, rhyming ZAZA.

The design is simple:

Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4

Line 5 (repeat of line 2)
Line 6
Line 7 (repeat of line 4)
Line 8

Continue with as many stanzas as you wish, but the ending stanzathen repeats the second and fourth lines of the previous stanza (as its first and third lines), and also repeats the third line of the first stanza, as its second line, and the first line of the first stanza as its fourth. So the first line of the poem is also the last.

Last stanza:

Line 2 of previous stanza
Line 3 of first stanza
Line 4 of previous stanza
Line 1 of first stanza

Example #1:

It All Started With A Packet of Seeds

It all started with a packet of seeds,
     To be planted with tenderness and care,
At the base of an Oak, free from all weeds.
     They will produce such beauty and flare.

To be planted with tenderness and care,
     A cacophony of colorful flowers,
They will produce such beauty and flare.
     With an aroma that can continue for hours.

A cacophony of colorful flowers,
     Bright oranges with yellows and reds,
With an aroma that can continue for hours,
     Delivered from their fresh flower beds.

Bright oranges with yellows and reds,
     At the base of an oak, free from all weeds,
Delivered from their fresh flower beds,
     At all started with a packet of seeds.

Copyright © 2001 Sally Ann Roberts

Example #2:

Celestial Dreams

Moonbeams creamy as pie
Racing across the night
On a journey into the sky
Dreams seeking celestial light

Racing across the night
Past Venus waking from sleep
Dreams seeking celestial light
Cast into the dark so deep

Past Venus waking from sleep
To Saturn's expanding rings
Cast into the dark so deep
Catching a ride on angel's wings

To Saturn's expanding rings
On a journey into the sky
Catching a ride on angel's wings
Moonbeams creamy as pie

Copyright © 2001 Marie Summers

Example #3:

Dance In The Rain

Come, dance in the rain with me
Let it wash our cares away
Drench us through and set us free
If only for today

Let it wash our cares away
Don't worry about tomorrow
If only for today
Along my path, please follow

Don't worry about tomorrow
This shower soon will end
Along my path, please follow
Cast worry to the wind

This shower soon will end
The memory, it will linger
Cast worry to the wind
Sate the primal hunger

The memory, it will linger
Drench us through and set us free
Sate the primal hunger
Come, dance in the rain with me...

Copyright © 2001 Chelle Wood

Example #4:

Osprey

O, sleek and beauteous hunter
Who deftly takes to wing
And tears her prey asunder,
A victory cry she sings.

Who deftly takes to wing
This chilly, salty morn?
A victory cry she sings
As this new day is born.

This chilly salty morn
A seahawk silently dives,
As this new day is born,
To feed three brand new lives.

A seahawk silently dives
And tears her prey asunder
To feed three brand new lives,
O, sleek and beauteous hunter.

Copyright © 2001 Dendrobia

Example #5:

Seasonal Whispers

Seasonal whispers, last farewells,
     Autumn’s beauty forever told
With paintbrushes and pastels,
    Leaf rubbings of pink and gold.

Autumn’s beauty forever told
     Through the eyes of a little girl.
Leaf rubbings of pink and gold,
     Among broad strokes, colors swirl.

Through the eyes of a little girl
    With paintbrushes and pastels,
Among broad strokes, colors swirl,
    Seasonal whispers, last farewells.

Copyright © 2005 Marie Summers