poetry form week 39: Roundelay Poems

Technically, the roundelay is any simple lyric poem that uses a refrain, but I found a very interesting version of a John Dryden roundelay in Lewis Turco’s The New Book of Forms. Basically, the roundelay is comprised of just an a rhyme and a b rhyme–with most of the lines acting as refrains.

Here’s an attempt at a Roundelay:

Roundelay, by Robert Lee Brewer



this world is crammed full of liars
lying for love or drugs or gold
& i’m preaching to the choir
so maybe this statement’s not bold:
if liar-liars catch on fire,
why is it i always feel cold?
& i’m preaching to the choir
so maybe this statement’s not bold
where there was love there’s no desire
possibly since i’m getting old
if liar-liars catch on fire,
why is it i always feel cold?
where there was love there’s no desire
possibly since i’m getting old
now it’s like i’m set to retire
& watch every sunset unfold
if liar-liars catch on fire,
why is it i always feel cold?
now it’s like i’m set to retire
& watch every sunset unfold
or perhaps i’m caught on a wire
trying to buy all that i’ve sold
if liar-liars catch on fire,
why is it i always feel cold?