Tetractys-

a little sin a little fun

An example of a double tetractys:

(puppy love)

Love
Passion
Desire
Heart on fire
My body, mind and soul is yours to keep

The scent of you makes my heart skip a beat
Your face is beauty
Breath so sweet
Those eyes
Mine

 

This can be done in three verses 1,2,3,4,10,10 4,3,2,1,1,2,3,4,10.. and so on-quite challenging and fun.

I like to mix forms as well - In this poem I start with a small acrostic and a series of single tetractys-

 

(The Seven Deadly Sins)


Salacious imaginings
Immorality in its totality
Naked consumption

take
my need
feels so good             GREED
must have it now
what I have you can not, its mine! all mine!

I deserve it more, I hope you lose it
It should be mine
I want it                    ENVY
not fair
why

heat
desire
need your touch         LUST
want it so much
I burn for you, need to ravish you, now!

why do it today when there’s tomorrow
the easy way
you do it                   SLOTH
lazy

sleep
 
rage
fury
how dare you            ANGER
wrath unbounded
no forgiveness you’ll ever have from me

never to rest, I want the best, fill me!
insatiable
not enough          GLUTTONY
hunger
more

me
the best
so unique                  PRIDE
one of a kind
In my mind I’m renowned , don’t you see it?



There are numerological and mystical overtones to the tetracty form. 1,2,3, and 4 add up to 10. Euclid (the great mathematician ) is the one who coined the word tetractys.

Like the haiku this form can be quite challenging - To express a complete thought in 20 syllables is no simple feat-although the form is quite simple.

Author's Note

Tetractys

A tetracty is a 20 syllable poem. It consists of five lines of 1,2, 3, 4 and 10 syllables (making a total 20) It can also be written with another verse but when doing so that verse becomes inverted. 1,2,3,4,10 10 4,3, 2, 1