Poetry Forms

Elevenie - "Elfje" and Reversed Elevenie

Thanks to Bibliotheek Oostland (Library Oostland) in Lansingerland, who pointed me to this form.


"Elfje", Elevenie is a poetry form which is used to help people get aquainted with writing poetry in forms.
It consists out of eleven words, divided over five lines.

1st line: one word
2nd line: two words
3rd line: three words
4th line: four words
5th line: one word.

Line 1 to 4 may form a long sentence, and line 5 summarizes the content of line 1 - 4 in just one word. Somtimes additional requirements can be given, (like: Line 1, object, line 2 colour etc) but it is not mandatory.

Example:

water
add strawberries
and orange slices
cool for one day
drink!

Elevenie can be reversed too: in that case:
the first word serves as title
line 2: four words
line 3: three words
line 4: two words
line 5: one word.


Elevenie example: © Bianca Boonstra 2022
Source:
NL:https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfje_(gedicht)
EN:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevenie