Waltmarie Verse Form

Today’s form, the Waltmarie, was invented by Candace Kubinec and is named after poets Walter J. Wojtanik and Marie Elena Good.

This simple poem is ten lines in total. The odd numbered lines can be as long as you wish, but the even numbered lines are only two syllables, and actually form their own mini-poem when read separately.

That’s it. There are no other rules governing this form. You can make it rhyme if you want, but it’s not necessary and I’ve only seen a couple of examples that that do so. And you can make it about whatever you wish, there are no restrictions or limits on the subject of your poem.

I had so much fun with this one that I did two of them. Here’s a tip for writing your own Waltmarie – it helps if you start with the two syllable lines and then fill in the rest of the poem.


I close my eyes and try to sleep but
my dreams
elude me, and my inner thoughts
scatter
I don’t know what is wrong
and I
think that maybe if only I could
run to
dreamland, I might be able to
catch them.


The soft summer breeze is like
music
to my ears; an invisible orchestra
plays and
if you look carefully you can almost see
faeries
in the garden, amongst the flowers, as they
dance and
twirl in an ecstatic, joyous
revel.