The best poets in history have one thing in common. They have signed an invisible contract with themselves, a contract where honesty is a prerequisite and fear, the essential tool to master. As a result, the words they choose to share with the world often transcend generations.

There was a time when spiritual poetry was an art form in itself. Individuals like Khalil Gibran and Alphonse de Lamartine penned pieces that delved into the inner workings of the human mind and challenged man’s limited understanding. Following this tradition, author Celestine McMullen Allen has decided to lend new credibility to the genre.    

“Voice from the Soul of Trees” is based on the premise that we are One with the world and the tree of life. A tree that is deeply rooted in our natural existences and whose branches extend beyond blood ties.

Two artists have left a lasting impression on my soul: Khalil Gibran and Alphonse de Lamartine. Millions of people are very familiar with Gibran. However, outside of Europe, Lamartine is almost completely unknown.

Lamartine was a French writer and politician who played a major role in the foundation of the Second Republic. His poetry, in particular, is beyond beautiful. On a scale of 1 to 10, it would be a solid 11.

Here are the last 11 forms of poetry in the series.

Rispetto

2 quatrains of 8 syllables per line. Rhyming scheme: abab ccdd /cdcd/cddc.

Sedoka

2 stanzas. Syllable count: 5 7 7 5 7 7. Unrhymed and non-metrical. It may address the subject from differing perspectives.

The first part says the same thing as the second part but in a different way.

Feeling like trying some more new forms of poetry? This is the penultimate part of the series…

Haven’t had enough of poetry yet? If so, check out part 3 of the series! Ten more poetic forms for you!

Knittelvers

Rhyming couplets with 4 stressed syllables per line. 9 syllables per line.

Kouta

A quatrain. Syllable count: 7 5 7 5 /  7 7 7 5.