Addiction (Tetractys)

by Dreamofolwin   Jul 21, 2009


Deep
Deeper
And deeper still
I'm falling in a pit against my will.

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Tetractys, a poetic form invented by Ray Stebbing, consists of at least 5 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 syllables (total of 20). Tetractys can be written with more than one verse, but must follow suit with an inverted syllable count. Tetractys can also bereversed and written 10, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Double Tetractys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1

Triple Tetractys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 10

and so on.

"Euclid, the mathematician of classical times, considered the number series 1, 2, 3, 4 to have mystical significance because its sum is 10, so he dignified it with a name of its own - Tetractys. The tetractys could be Britain's answer to the haiku. Its challenge is to express a complete thought, profound or comic, witty or wise, within the narrow compass of twenty syllables." - Ray Stebbing

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Latest Comments

  • 8 years ago

    by Em

    Beautifully done. So powerful

  • 11 years ago

    by Robert Gardiner

    VERY NICE!!!

  • 13 years ago

    by Robert Gardiner

    Veru Nikcely Penned!!!

  • 14 years ago

    by Robert Gardiner

    Very Nicely Done!!!

  • 15 years ago

    by Kitty

    You could probably teach me how to write poetry :)