In my FWA posting for last month we dove into the tetractys, a poetry short form from Greece. This month let’s look closely at the pensee. The pensee (pronounced pahn-say) is a short syllabic form with specific attributes. But before we get into those let’s backtrack a little.
The word pensee means a thought, or reflection, in French. When we speak of a pensee we are referring to a thought expressed in a literary way, such as the short form poem that developed from this idea, or as in an epigraph, aphorism, or the collection of thoughts Pensées written by the 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal. Here, we are going to be working with the poetry form, and our goal is to get across a complete thought (with some depth) in a very concise way.
Guidelines for writing a pensee
The pensee has a required number of syllables for each line, and each line has a job to do. Though it is non-metrical and non-rhyming, you may use some internal rhyme, alliteration, assonance or consonance. But these aspects of rhyme are not required. Here are the basics:
- 5 lines total: 2 , 4, 7, 8, 6 syllables.
- Line 1—Introduces the subject. (Can be the title.) 2 syllables.
- Line 2—Includes a description of the subject. 4 syllables.
- Line 3—Includes an action taken by, or for, the subject. (Use a verb.) 7 syllables.
- Line 4—Includes information about the setting/time. 8 syllables.
- Line 5—Final thought(s) about the subject. 6 syllables.
Two examples of the pensee
(Both these poems are by Shutta.) “Puppy,” the first poem, uses the initial line as the title. Then, only 4 lines follow the title. The second poem “Kintsugi” refers to the Japanese practice of mending crockery with silver or gold—especially prized when the piece is old or revered. That poem has a separate title, with the full 5 lines following.
Puppy
Tail thumping joy—
makes a clutter of my life
amid laughing, belly-rub days.
Oh, you! Thief of my heart.
Kintsugi
broken
your blue rice bowl
waited years to be mended
today, fingers will trace gold scars
feel only perfection
Go ahead, give it a try. Oft times, writing short is more difficult than writing long. However, with the guidelines of the pensee it can be a pleasure. I hope you come up with some wonderful short poems! Don’t forget, you want to convey a full thought about your subject, not simply a fleeting image.
Resources
- Preminger, Brogran The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry & Poetics
- Poets Collective “Poetry Forms,” Poet’s Collective Multisite Network
- Skelton, Robin Shapes of our Singing: A Comprehensive Guide to Verse Forms and Metres from Around the World
- Turco, Lewis Putnam The Book of Forms. The Book of Forms: A Handbook of Poetics, Including Odd and Invented Forms, Revised and Expanded Edition
- Writer’s Digest List of 168 Poetic Forms for Poets
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