Pantoum links
Victor Hugo imported this Malaysian folk form made of interlocking repeated lines to Western literature & we’ve selected these links to read examples of pantoums in English.
Pantoum
The pantoum defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
The pantoum defined, in our glossary of poetic forms.
“Harmonie du Soir” by Charles Baudelaire
Among the most famous examples of the pantoum in French is Charles Baudelaire’s “Harmonie du Soir” from Fleurs du Mal, posted here with four different English translations.
Among the most famous examples of the pantoum in French is Charles Baudelaire’s “Harmonie du Soir” from Fleurs du Mal, posted here with four different English translations.
“Stillbirth” by Laure-Anne Bosselaar
The pantoum form is peculiarly suited for the circling obsession of grief — a powerful example is Laure-Anne Bosselaar’s “Stillbirth,” which you can read and hear at the Academy of American Poets site.
The pantoum form is peculiarly suited for the circling obsession of grief — a powerful example is Laure-Anne Bosselaar’s “Stillbirth,” which you can read and hear at the Academy of American Poets site.
“Seattle Times, May 17, 1997” by Anitra Freeman
Among the archived exercises at Anitra Freeman’s Kalliope Online Writing Workshop is her own first pantoum, with a good introduction intended to get you started working in this “hypnotic & musical” form.
Among the archived exercises at Anitra Freeman’s Kalliope Online Writing Workshop is her own first pantoum, with a good introduction intended to get you started working in this “hypnotic & musical” form.
“Walking Tour” by Deane P. Goodwin
This pantoum at Deane P. Goodwin’s Blue Musings site is preceded by a brief introduction to the history of the form.
This pantoum at Deane P. Goodwin’s Blue Musings site is preceded by a brief introduction to the history of the form.
“Iva’s Pantoum” by Marilyn Hacker
“Iva’s Pantoum” stretches the pantoum form by changing the pronouns in its chanting, repeated lines: “I am the woman who makes up words. / You are the woman who shapes / a drinking bowl with her fist in clay. / I am the woman with rocks in her pockets. // I am the woman who shapes. / I was a baby who knew names. / You are the child with rocks in her pockets. / You are the girl in a plaid dress.”
“Iva’s Pantoum” stretches the pantoum form by changing the pronouns in its chanting, repeated lines: “I am the woman who makes up words. / You are the woman who shapes / a drinking bowl with her fist in clay. / I am the woman with rocks in her pockets. // I am the woman who shapes. / I was a baby who knew names. / You are the child with rocks in her pockets. / You are the girl in a plaid dress.”
“Miss Charlotte Brown, Librarian, Goes Mad” by Felix Jung
Felix Jung’s short pantoum was Flash-animated to reveal its line-by-line construction -- a wonderful new-media visualization -- but now it’s posted in plain text at the Minstrels site.
Felix Jung’s short pantoum was Flash-animated to reveal its line-by-line construction -- a wonderful new-media visualization -- but now it’s posted in plain text at the Minstrels site.
“Pantoum of the Great Depression” by Donald Justice
Robert Hass selected Donald Justice’s pantoum for his “Poet’s Choice” newspaper column, and it’s an interesting example, capturing the endurance of the poor in its repetitions and appending a deprecating line after the poem circles around to its beginning again: “And there is no plot in that; it is devoid of poetry.”
Robert Hass selected Donald Justice’s pantoum for his “Poet’s Choice” newspaper column, and it’s an interesting example, capturing the endurance of the poor in its repetitions and appending a deprecating line after the poem circles around to its beginning again: “And there is no plot in that; it is devoid of poetry.”
“Parent’s Pantoum” by Carolyn Kizer
Carolyn Kizer’s pantoum, in text and RealAudio at the Academy of American Poets site, is a loosened -- and lovely -- example of the form, recasting most of the repeated lines for their context in each stanza.
Carolyn Kizer’s pantoum, in text and RealAudio at the Academy of American Poets site, is a loosened -- and lovely -- example of the form, recasting most of the repeated lines for their context in each stanza.
“Juggler, Magician, Fool” by Peter Schaeffer
This pantoum is unusual in that it takes the form of couplets with interlocking repeated half-lines rather than quatrains with repeated lines, but it’s still quite shapely.
This pantoum is unusual in that it takes the form of couplets with interlocking repeated half-lines rather than quatrains with repeated lines, but it’s still quite shapely.
“Baby’s Pantoum” by Anne Waldman
Anne Waldman’s long, sinuous and beautiful pantoum is reprinted with her comments about the form in Annie Finch’s anthology, A Formal Feeling Comes: Poems in Form by Contemporary Women.
Anne Waldman’s long, sinuous and beautiful pantoum is reprinted with her comments about the form in Annie Finch’s anthology, A Formal Feeling Comes: Poems in Form by Contemporary Women.
“Bareback Pantoum” by Cecilia Woloch
Cecilia Woloch’s “Bareback Pantoum” begins and ends, classically, with a single topic line — “One night, bareback and young, we rode through the woods” — and stretches its irregular lines in between to carry the rhythms of a wild ride — “the pounding of hooves and the smell of smoke and the sharp sweat of boys” — wonderful!
Cecilia Woloch’s “Bareback Pantoum” begins and ends, classically, with a single topic line — “One night, bareback and young, we rode through the woods” — and stretches its irregular lines in between to carry the rhythms of a wild ride — “the pounding of hooves and the smell of smoke and the sharp sweat of boys” — wonderful!