Tritina

Tritina

A Tritina is a mini version of a Sestina but there are three stanzas of three lines and a
final line. So, there are ten lines total. The three stanza’s use the same three ending
words in a pattern. The final line uses those same three words. It’s not as complicated
as it sounds especially considering that there is no rhyming scheme.

Here is the pattern: Stanza one ending words: A, B, C
Stanza two ending words: C, A, B
Stanza three ending words: B,C, A
Last line uses words A,B, C

Here’s my example:

“Learning to sing in the dark”

The night is empty without you and I’m
feeling a bit lost, wondering what you’re doing
under this cold moon of time. There’s a fine

line between a sad ending and a war, a fine
line between grief and death. Right now, I’m
somewhere in between. Suffering is doing

the work in me that love couldn’t–by not doing
for you, I’ve found a beauty in silence. I’m fine
with sitting in this space left by us. It’s cold but I’m

learning to sing in the dark and I’m doing just fine.