BBQ Triolet *

We light the coals, we wait, for Bob,
who has the steaks and beer, has gone
to pick up 12 corns on the cob.
We light the coals; we wait for Bob -
the jello mold's become a blob.
Although it seems he left at dawn
we light the coals and wait for Bob.
Who has the steaks? The beer is gone!

April 2006

* * * * *

Triolets are a blast. Another, from NaPoWriMo 2005:

Triolet for my cat

I brush her fur; it clings to all
my clothes in black. Accessories
for free, for me. She purrs, it falls,
I brush her fur. It clings to all--
my pants, my coat, the floor, the wall--
the missiles hit trajectories.
I brush. Her fur, it clings to all
my clothes in black; accessories.

And yet another, from NaPoWriMo 2007

Triolet for a son who needs to get a life

At thirty-nine, it's time to leave;
the nest is closed, so get a clue.
We love you, but you need the heave
at thirty-nine. It's time to leave
your Mom and Dad. Too long you've cleaved
and clung, so son, you're way past due
at thirty-nine. It's time to leave.
The nest, it's closed, so get a clue.

* * * * *

* Here are the rules should you want to try one:

The triolet is a repeating metrical French form of 8 lines built on only two rhymes.
The 8 lines can be of any meter, although iambic tetrameter is the most common.
The pattern is as follows (Capitalized and Numbered lines are those which are
to be repeated, the repetends):

A1
B1
a
A1
a
b
A1
B1

Most often, the triolet is used for light comic verse, although originally
it was used for serious meditative verse; today, it is still occasionally
serious in intent.

In contemporary usage, the ideal goal is, by altering punctuation or spelling
but not the words themselves, to produce a difference in meaning on each
reappearance of the repeated lines.

From "Notes on the Triolet" - http://www.everypoet.org/pffa/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9916 - with credit to Howard