You Will Never Know Who I Am (Quatern)

by Rachel RTVW   Sep 7, 2009


You will never know who I am
Though search you may and try you might
A phony grin I'll plaster on
Assumption doesn't mean you're right

You judge a book by it's cover
You will never know who I am
My soul's too deep to understand
You're wrong to think I give a damn

Inevitably time will pass
You'll claim your guess is just a fact
You will never know who I am
And my pride will remain in tact

I owe you no explanation
One I have you couldn't fathom
You aren't worth the breath it would take
You will never know who I am

~Quatern~

A Quatern is a sixteen line French form composed of four quatrains. It is similar to the Kyrielle
and the Retourne. It has a refrain that is in a different place in each quatrain. The first line of
stanza one is the second line of stanza two, third line of stanza three, and fourth line of stanza
four. A quatern has eight syllables per line. It does not have to be iambic or follow a set rhyme
scheme.

line 1
line 2
line 3
line 4

line 5
line 6 (line 1)
line 7
line 8

line 9
line 10
line 11 (line 1)
line 12

line 13
line 14
line 15
line 16 (line 1)

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Latest Comments

  • 15 years ago

    by Cindy

    Rachel
    I love the form you used for this piece. What a deep write....with intense emotion. I have a hard time hiding my thoughts. I guess I'm to sesitive. I'm like an open book.
    Good job!
    Love you
    Aunt Cindy

  • 15 years ago

    by Courageous Dreamer

    WOW! This poem held a very strong message that spoke the truth. We truly do not know who someone else is; although we like to think we do. We make up assumptions about one another and judge people right and left. I think we are all guilty of doing this... but we need to stop and realize we don't know the truth about that person and we shouldnt judge them. Loved how you threw the very famous line about not judging a book by its cover, that line tied in with your poem excellently. Wonderful write from you, it spoke of a voice that wanted to be heard, loud and clear. This was brilliant. [:

  • 15 years ago

    by Meena Krish

    Some people think they knows us very well
    but are wrong. I like the way you have
    expressed your feelings here; I also liked the
    form..good write. Thank you also for the
    comment :)

  • 15 years ago

    by Nee

    I believe no one should completely understand the other one, even if they claim they do..they do not.
    Good poem Rach, though I could see you write better than this.
    Your rhyme went a bit cliche on the second stanza.

    "You judge a book by it's cover"
    ^
    Should be "its" not "it's".

    Well done :)

  • 15 years ago

    by Sylvia

    I think that we may have all felt this way about someone in our lives. I know I have. Good job with the form.

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