The Sapphic Stanza

Blue and clear, the sky stretches over valleys

Cloudless splendour heralding summer’s fervour.

Autumn’s colours fade as the flush of summer

Brightens life vivid .

#sapphic verse

The Sapphic Stanza is made up of three unrhymed lines of eleven syllables and one of five. Each line consists of two trochees, one dactyl and two trochees. This line is termed a Sapphic. 
The (fourth) last line consists of one dactyl and one trochee, and is termed an Adonic. This gives a rhyme scheme of:

/. u.. /. u.. /. u.u.. /. u.. /. u..
/. u.. /. u.. /. u.u.. /. u.. /. u..
/. u.. /. u.. /. u.u.. /. u.. /. u..
/. u.u.. /. u.. 

It has already been stated that there are eleven syllables to each line, and also that there are five feet of unrhymed lines as well.

87 thoughts on “The Sapphic Stanza

  1. Sign

    The first sign of my loving you was the dream
    You and I locked tight in our deepest sweet probe
    We took each breath so long and held it sweetly
    I gave her my life

    #sapphic verse

    See how you inspire me. This is my first attempt at sapphic. I just found out about it this morning from you.

    Thank you

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Thanks for the heads up! Are sapphic stanzas limited to specific themes? Where can I get more of such? Where are their use most suited? Thanks ‘gain for spurring us to better our craft! Much appreciated.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. The way you spread morale-wonderdust through your well-deserved so-many readers I come to convince-ment’s table sure that what you sew in ‘couragement and gracious praise and thanks comes back to your person and pen multiplied like ether-created manna on parchment at only the least of the rewards. What you continue to give I am sure redounds mightily to you as well.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Thanks, Yassy, for the stanza…and the master-class by a Mistress of Class. Wonderful work. Glad I ignored my small peeves to take some time to tour your ‘verse. Very uni, as always. Not just the poetry but the diagram was reason enow to reblog and mayhap entrap another scritter, neh?

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Thank you for this wonderful lesson. I always enjoy learning about new poetry forms. You have executed this one seamlessly. I love it! Gotta try it when I am fresh first thing in the morning! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

Leave a reply to yassy Cancel reply