A triolet is a fixed-form poem consisting of eight lines that follows a specific pattern of rhyme and repetition. Originating in medieval France, the form dates back to the 13th century and later gained popularity among English-language poets. Despite its brevity, the triolet offers poets a surprisingly versatile structure for expressing emotion, reflection, humor, or irony.
What makes the triolet distinctive is its use of repeated lines. The first line appears three times, serving as lines one, four, and seven, while the second line is repeated as the final line of the poem. Because of these repetitions, only five of the eight lines must be written as new material. The traditional rhyme scheme is ABaAabAB, with capital letters representing repeated lines.
The challenge of writing an effective triolet lies in making the repeated lines feel natural each time they appear. The strongest triolets allow the refrain to take on new shades of meaning as the poem progresses, giving familiar words fresh significance through changing context. This interplay between repetition and evolving meaning is what gives the triolet its elegance and enduring appeal.
Among the many poets who experimented with the form was Thomas Hardy, whose triolet How Great My Grief remains one of the best-known examples in English literature.
Example
"Birds At Winter"
Around the house the flakes fly faster,
And all the berries now are gone'
From holly and cotoneaster
Around the house. The flakes fly! – faster
Shutting indoors the crumb-outcaster
We used to see upon the lawn
Around the house. The Flakes fly faster
And all the berries now are gone!
Thomas Hardy