The Paradelle is a modern poetic form invented by Billy Collins as a parody of the villanelle. Billy Collins claimed that the paradelle was a difficult, fixed form consisting of four six-line stanzas with a repetitive pattern invented in eleventh century France, and the press believed the story and ran with it. Due to the extensive publicity, the Paradelle has made its rounds in the poetic community. Eventhough the form was invented as a hoax, the Paradelle has taken on a life of its own. It is still a difficult form, nonetheless, to practice which can be fun and rewarding eventhough the inventor may not have intended it to be.

The Paradell Structure

First Three Stanzas:

The first two lines as well as the third and fourth lines of the first three stanzas must be the same (repeat). Where it begins to get difficult and become more of a poetic puzzle is when reaching fifth and sixth lines. These lines must contain all the words from the preceding four lines within the stanza using them only once to form completely new lines.

Last Stanza:

For the most difficult piece of this poetic puzzle, the final stanza of the paradelle does not repeat like the preceding stanzas, rather the final six lines must contain every word from the first three stanzas, and only those words, again using them only once to form completely new lines.

The Design is simple:

Stanza 1: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4
Stanza 2: 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 8
Stanza 3: 9, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12
Stanza 4: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Example #1:

Beneath the Dripping Cypress Trees

'Tis the breeze beneath the cypress trees,
'Tis the breeze beneath the cypress trees,
Where shady branches bend and bow,
Where shady branches bend and bow.
Beneath the bend and branches breeze,
Where the cypress' bow 'tis shady trees.

Ink like stains of sap fold down,
Ink like stains of sap fold down,
Brown and dripping tears that keep,
Brown and dripping tears that keep.
Sap like ink and stains of brown,
Tears that fold keep dripping down.

Will such variegated colors blend,
Will such variegated colors blend,
Away within envelope of leaves,
Away within envelope of leaves.
Of such colors envelope within,
Variegated leaves away will blend.

Within the sap 'tis shady brown,
And keep the breeze of that fold down,
Variegated stains away will blend,
Where colors bow and branches bend.
Tears of ink envelope like leaves,
Beneath such dripping cypress trees.

Copyright © 2003 Sally Ann Roberts

Example #2:

A Paradelle of Winged Flight

Twilight falls, darkness cover me
Twilight falls, darkness cover me
as gentle slumber lures awakening dreams
as gentle slumber lures awakening dreams
cover me gentle twilight, darkness lures dreams,
awakening as slumber falls. 

Journey on celelstial wings through astral visions
Journey on celelstial wings through astral visions
and hover above earth-bound limitations
and hover above earth-bound limitations
on celestial wings, hover above earth bound limitations
and journey through astral visions.

Explore the expansiveness of self, 
Explore the expansiveness of self, 
look within and discover your untapped wealth
look within and discover your untapped wealth
look within the expansiveness of self,
discover and explore your untapped wealth.

cover me, dreams look within darkness 
journey -- discover your gentle awakening;
slumber lures the expansiveness of self 
through astral visions.  Hover above 
earthbound limitations on celestial wings, 
and as twilight falls, explore wealth -- untapped.

Copyright © 2003 Mary Ellen Clark

Example #3:

Dreamt I of What Came to Me

Falling asleep 'neath a cypress tree
Falling asleep 'neath a cypress tree
What variegated colors came calling to me
What variegated colors came calling to me
`Neath falling colors, asleep to me
What came calling?... A variegated cypress tree

I dreamt of ink in a well so deep
I dreamt of ink in a well so deep
As an envelope as full of words to eat
As an envelope as full of words to eat
In an envelope of words, I dreamt to eat
Of ink as full as a well so deep

So, away I went, to write of that told
So, away I went, to write of that told
Tears as joy, on paper to fold
Tears as joy, on paper to fold
That on paper to write, of joy told
As tears went away... so I, to fold

Joy as tears, full of words went to calling
Ink as well, in an envelope a falling
Variegated colors to eat of that told
So, away I write on paper to fold
As deep asleep, 'neath a cypress tree
So, dreamt I... of what came to me

Copyright © 2003 Dan Tharp

Example #4:

A Paradelle of Love

Tattered tapestries, remnants of forgotten dreams,
Tattered tapestries, remnants of forgotten dreams
Blackened by the unforgiving fire of love,
Blackened by the unforgiving fire of love;
Blackened by the fire, tattered remnants of
Forgotten tapestries, unforgiving dreams of love.

I douse Love’s flames with crystal tears,
I douse Love’s flames with crystal tears,
Pieces of my broken heart, shattered souvenirs, 
Pieces of my broken heart, shattered souvenirs;
Flames of my heart I douse with tears;
Love’s shattered crystal pieces, broken souvenirs.

All that remain are charred moonbeams,
All that remain are charred moonbeams
And sooty ashes of now-dead dreams,
And sooty ashes of now-dead dreams;
Sooty and charred, now-dead moonbeams,
Ashes are all that remain of dreams.

With tears of love I douse the flames, 
Charred remnants of ashes all that remain, 
Dreams are forgotten, fire blackened and tattered,
Pieces of my unforgiving heart, shattered 
By broken souvenirs of crystal moonbeams,
Love’s sooty tapestries’ now-dead dreams. 
 
Copyright © 2003 Linda E. Newman

Example #5:

Untouched Beauty

Among the variegated skies and cypress trees,
Among the variegated skies and cypress trees,
Lies a poet’s inspiration hidden away untouched,
Lies a poet’s inspiration hidden away untouched.
Hidden away among a poet’s inspiration
Lies variegated skies and the untouched cypress trees.

The tears shed from the beauty of this serene sight,
The tears shed from the beauty of this serene sight,
Will unleash the poet’s ink to flow endlessly,
Will unleash the poet’s ink to flow endlessly.
The tears shed will flow endlessly from the poet’s ink
To unleash the beauty of this serene sight.

Journals, they will be filled with letters to be written,
Journals, they will be filled with letters to be written,
Envelopes will be stuffed with the sweet words of nature,
Envelopes will be stuffed with the sweet words of nature.
Journals to be stuffed with the sweet words of nature
Envelopes will be filled with letters, written they will be.

The poet’s ink lies hidden among the cypress trees;
Variegated skies to shed away untouched tears.
Journals will be filled with the sweet words of inspiration,
Envelopes will be stuffed with a poet’s sight,
From the letters to be written, they will flow endlessly,
And unleash the serene beauty of this nature.

 
Copyright © 2003 Marie Summers

"Hoax or not, this poem won me $100.00 in a poetry contest!  I enjoyed the challenge."