The retourne is all about repetition. It contains four quatrains and each line has eight syllables. The trick is that the first stanza's second line must also be the second stanza's first line, the first stanza's third line is the third stanza's first, and the first stanza's fourth line is the fourth stanza's first. Retournes do not have to rhyme. <br /> <br />Nurtured by Nature <br /> <br />Contemplate the earth around you <br />What wonders can your eyes behold? <br />Perhaps a flowers fragrant blooms <br />And insects deep within the soil. <br /> <br />What wonders can your eyes behold? <br />The gift of life you'll often see <br />Living within the fertile land <br />Nurturing all of human kind. <br /> <br />Perhaps a flowers fragrant blooms <br />Can ease the fear of darkened skies <br />Ensuring growth through tempest dower. <br />Providing nature's guests, a gift. <br /> <br />And insects deep within the soil <br />Must mend and till the earth anew <br />They give what other creatures take <br />Assuring life will never end. <br /> <br />©2008 Dawn Slanker<br /><br />Dawn Slanker<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/nurtured-by-nature-a-retourne/
