Let’s talk about the Novem.

The novem is a more modern form that was invented by Canadian author and poet Robin Skelton (1925-1997). According to my research, he based it on the Than-Bauk, a Burmese “climbing poem” that consisted of three lines of four syllables.

There isn’t much information on it’s history beyond that, but Skelton does talk about the Novem in his book, The Shapes of Our Singing (which I’ve been trying to get my hands on!).

How to Write a Novem

According to Skelton, the basic structure of a Novem is this:

• Three lines per stanza
• Three words per stanza (two monosyllabic, one disyllabic)
• Four syllables per stanza

Easy, right?

However, the disyllabic (or two-syllable) word is where the challenge comes in because it changes position with every line. In line one, it’s the end word. In line two, it’s in the middle. In line three, it’s at the beginning.

So, with all that in mind, your Novem should look like this:

1. Line 1 (4 syllables) (1 syllable, 1 syllable, 2 syllables)
2. Line 2 (4 syllables) (1 syllable, 2 syllables, 1 syllable)
3. Line 3 (4 syllables) (2 syllables, 1 syllable, 1 syllable)

That’s the basic Novem, but you can add stanzas to it to make it longer. There’s also no rules for subject matter or rhyme scheme, so you can get creative within these three lines.

Here’s an example of a longer Novem:

We are magic-
Strong, restless, and
Loaded with skill

We are stardust-
Specks upon this
Mortal blue orb

We are endless-
A spirit tied
Waiting for rest

Not bad, right?

If you want to see more examples, check out these poems that are part of Structured Chaos- including the title poem!

Your Turn!

That’s all there is to it!

It may seem intimidating, but a Novem is more about syllables then anything else, so if you can find a good list of two-syllable words to use within your lines, you can do anything!

Have you ever written a Novem? Let me know in the comments!