The Swap Quatrain was created by Lorraine M. Kanter.

Within the Swap Quatrain each stanza in the poem must be a quatrain (four lines) where the first line is reversed in the fourth line. In addition, line 2 must rhyme with line 1, and line 3 must rhyme with line 4 and so on, BUT not repeat the same rhyming pattern on subsequent stanzas.

Rhyming pattern: AABB, CCDD, and so on.

Example #1:

The Prize

The crowd cheered on in joyful stance,
as Knight Will Cace raised up his lance
and struck his foe with skillful brawn;
in joyful stance, the crowd cheered on.

His foe fell hard, displaced from steed,
the one that plunged, did not succeed.
Fulfilled yet stunned, he yields regard
displaced from steed, his foe fell hard.

The prize attained for hero Case,
and status raised in Kingdom's grace.
A celebration, honor gained;
for hero Case, the prize attained.

Copyright © 2004 Lorraine M. Kanter

Example #2:

It Matters Not

It hovers here, a moon opaque,
obscuring mountain trail I take.
No other living things appear.
A moon opaque. . . it hovers here.

I follow on along a ledge;
below, a swirling river's edge.
In front of me, the canyon's yawn.
Along a ledge, I follow on.

I see no hue when fog congeals.
Oh, doom of one who no more feels.
The moon has fled, as so have you.
When fog congeals, I see no hue.

Now all is dim.  It matters not.
My dear one's heart I haven't got.
No use for living without him.
It matters not.  Now all is dim.

At peace I'll be if I should fall
to murky water from this wall.
Oh, yawning canyon, swallow me.
If I should fall, at peace I'll be.

Copyright © 2004 Andrea Dietrich

Example #3:

Wake Up, My Child

Wake up my child, the night is gone.
The pious wolves flee 'fore the dawn,
Your dreams of truth no more reviled.
The night is gone, wake up my child.

Your long nightmare, your troubled sleep,
The senseless slaughter of the sheep
Has lost the requisites to scare
Your troubled sleep, your long nightmare.

Your kin are here, you're not alone, 
To lead you back to what you've known,
Away from darkness, toward what's dear.
You're not alone, your kin are here.

Forget the lies of intellect.
You are spirit, skin bedecked,
A temporary world's disguise
Of intellect; forget the lies.

Who can snooze with all this noise?
It's time to put away the toys.
We're going to take a lightship cruise.
With all this noise, who can snooze?

Copyright © 2004 Robert Wilson