Conrad Leviston at 15:28, 10 August 2005

2005-08-10T15:28:10Z

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'''Terza rima''' is a poetic stanza of three lines used primarily by Italian poets. The rhyme structure is a b a, b c b, c d c, etc.

The most famous use of terza rima is in [[Dante]]'s [[Divine Comedy]]. It is also the first known use, and was probably specifically invented by Dante to fit with the trinity theme of that epic. [[Petrarch]] and [[Boccaccio]] also made use of terza rima.

In his poem ''Complaint to His Lady'', [[Geoffrey Chaucer]] uses a style similar to terza rima, though it does not strictly adhere to its rules. [[Thomas Wyatt]] was responsible for a burst of popularity that terza rima enjoyed in [[16th century]] [[England]].

==Examples==

===Inferno - Dante===

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita 
mi ritrovai per una selva oscura 
ch� la diritta via era smarrita. 
Ahi quanto a dir qual era � cosa dura 
esta selva selvaggia e aspra e forte 
che nel pensier rinova la paura! 
Tant'� amara che poco � pi� morte; 
ma per trattar del ben ch'i' vi trovai, 
dir� de l'altre cose ch'i' v'ho scorte.

===Mine own John Poynz - Wyatt===

Mine own John Poynz, since ye delight to know 
The cause why that homeward I me draw, 
And flee the press of courts, whereso they go, 
Rather than to live thrall under the awe 
Of lordly looks, wrapp�d within my cloak, 
To will and lust learning to set a law: 
It is not for because I scorn or mock 
The power of them, to whom fortune hath lent 
Charge over us, of right, to strike the stroke

[[Category:poetry]]

Terza rima - Revision history

Conrad Leviston at 15:28, 10 August 2005