Mirage (Huitain)

Sand glistening 'neath blazing sun,
shimmering waves of silver rise.
Granules scorching feet as they run,
toward an oasis, the prize,
mirage of oceans in disguise.
Fools paradise, a reminder,
things aren't always what we surmise,
words of wisdom for the finder.

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A Huitain has 8 lines. Each line has 8 syllables only. Lines 1 and 3 should rhyme. Lines 2,4,5 and 7 should rhyme. Lines 6 and 8 should rhyme.

The Huitain is an old form from France, with several variations developing over time. It is a wonderfully flexible form which can be as short as the required eight lines, or can continue in eight line sets for as long as you wish. This is another great form for collaboration, with each poet developing their own eight line sequence.

The Huitain went by a syllable count of eight originally, but with the fondness for English iambic pentameter, has also been seen with 10 syllables. The variations are all variations on the rhyme scheme, however, there is one type of pattern all variations follow. There must be one set of four rhyming words, and two sets of two rhyming words.

French/English #1: a, b, a, b, b, c, b, c
French/English #2: a, b, b, a, a, c, a, c
Spanish #1: a, b, a, b, a, c, a, c
Spanish #2: a, b, b, a, a, c, c, a