Eat Your Words

Poetry Prompt 4 for Tale-A-Thlon 2025- Ottava Rima

~Written by Giovanni Boccaccio 

~”Ottava Rima” literally translates to “eighth rhyme” in Italian

~Follows a strict ABABABCC rhyme scheme

~The final couplet provides a summarizing, emphatic, or witty conclusion to the stanza’s idea

~Written in iambic pentameter, meaning each line has ten syllables, with an alternating pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM)

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Oh! The silent wars worthless words have wrought,
Homes where merriment has long breathed its last,
Frowning school benches yearn for friends who fought
Stripped of prudence, they wound more than a blast.
Kingdoms shattered by kin, yet crowns are sought,
Most have a sapling of greed, growing fast.
One day, coins will flip and peace’ll come by,
Stream of transience will flow when tears run dry.