Sestina

A sestina is a complex, non-rhyming poetic form characterized by the repetition of the terminal words of each line in a specific pattern across six stanzas, followed by a three-line envoy. The six stanzas are typically of equal length, traditionally six lines each, resulting in 36 lines before the envoy.

The core of the sestina lies in its intricate pattern of word repetition. The terminal words of the first stanza establish the pattern for the subsequent stanzas. If the first stanza ends with words A, B, C, D, E, and F, then the following stanzas must adhere to this sequence:

• Stanza 1: A B C D E F
• Stanza 2: F A E B D C
• Stanza 3: C F D A B E
• Stanza 4: E C B F A D
• Stanza 5: D E A C F B
• Stanza 6: B D F E C A

This sequence ensures that each of the six terminal words appears once at the end of a line in each stanza.

The envoy, or tornada, consists of three lines. These lines contain all six terminal words, typically two words per line. The words are usually placed in the middle and at the end of each line of the envoy, though poets have sometimes experimented with this placement. The envoy traditionally serves to summarize or reflect upon the themes developed within the main body of the poem.

Sestinas often explore themes of obsession, repetition, and circularity, mirroring the form's iterative nature. The constraint of repeated words forces the poet to find new and inventive ways to express ideas, lending itself to a deliberate and intricate exploration of the poem's subject matter.