20 Examples of Short Verses

Within the regular versification, the verses are usually differentiated according to their length. The shorter verses They are called minor art and are those that are made up of eight syllables or less. These differ from those of major art, which are those that are composed of nine or more poetic syllables.

It should be remembered that the metric unit of rhythm is called a verse, also called a rhythmic unit, with which a poetry. Phonetically, it is located between two pauses, which are visually represented by the graphic distribution of each verse in successive lines.

The versification can be regular, when the verses or rhythmic units are measured, that is, when the syllables that compose them are counted. Or it can be irregular, when the verses do not have a fixed measure.

Verses classes of minor art

For the versification scholars (Rengifo, Andrés Bello and others), the verses of minor art can be between four and eight syllables. In Spanish, however, there are bisyllabic and trisyllable verses, although not all experts admit them, since in many cases it is considered that these verses do not have their own rhythm.

These forms of two and three syllables usually appear in combination with longer ones, so it is alleged that more than independent verses, they would act as a chorus.

• Two-syllable verses. Formed by two metric syllables. For instance:

1. Evening
   sad
   dresses
   already
   air,
   heaven,
   ground,
   sea.
   Looking
   of the world
   deep
   solace,
   Spread
   Dreams
   henbane
   of peace.

Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, "The night of insomnia and the dawn" (fragment)

1. How much
   exists,
   fog
   sad
   populate
   already.

José Zorrilla, «The wild lily» (fragment)

• Trisyllable verses. Formed by three metric syllables. For instance:

1. Me in a
   maid
   my star
   Look

And tell him,
lover,
constant
faith.

Rubén Darío, «You and I» (fragment)

1. So sweet
   sighs
   the lyre
   what hurt
   soft
   cencento
   of the wind
   the voice

José de Espronceda, «The student of Salamanca» (fragment)

• Tetrasyllable verses. Formed by four metric syllables. For instance:

1. Of the summer,
   red and cold
   laugh,
   slice
   of watermelon.

Jose Juan Tablada

1. In the dams
   I divide
   I caught it
   equally.

I only want
for wealth
the beauty
non-rival.

José de Espronceda, «Song of the pirate» (fragment)

• Pentasyllable verses. Formed by five metric syllables. It is used, mostly, in combination with other verses. For instance:

1. If you called me ...
   If you called me, yes;
   if you called me!

I would leave it all
I would throw everything away;
prices, catalogs,
the blue of the ocean on maps,
the days and their nights,
the old telegrams
and a love.
You who are not my love
If you called me!

Pedro Salinas, «If you called me» (fragment)

1. My deer, good friend,
   my white deer.

The wolves killed her
at the foot of the water.

The wolves, good friend,
who fled down the river.

The wolves killed her
in the water.

Rafael Alberti, «My deer»

• Hexa-syllable verses. Formed by six metric syllables. For instance:

1. Those that are published
   they are not great penalties.
   The ones that keep quiet and take inside
   they are the true ones.

Manuel Machado, «La toná de la fragua» (fragment)

1. Thought of mine
   where are you going?
   Don't go to the house of who you used to
   so not to enter.

Manuel Machado, «La toná de la fragua» (fragment)

1. Sound water
   simple foam,
   water can't
   form the shore.

And why rest
instead of dock,
it is not water or sand
the seashore.

José Gorostiza, «It is neither water nor sand ...» (excerpt)

• Heptasyllable verses. Formed by six metric syllables. For instance:

1. Don are, funny night,
   your sad face and fear
   that causes mortals
   your gloomy silence?

Juan Meléndez Valdés (fragment)

1. Adjusted to the solo
   Nakedness of your body,
   Between air and light
   You are pure element.

Jorge Guillén, «Salvation of the spring» (fragment)

• Octosyllable verses. Formed by six metric syllables. For instance:

1. Alas, when children die,
   early April roses,
   from the mother the tender cry
   she watches over her eternal sleep.

Rosalía de Castro, «To my mother» (excerpt)

1. She begins to live, and begins
   to die from end to end
   lifting the crust
   of his mother with the team.

Miguel Hernández, «The yuntero child» (fragment)

1. A carnation has fallen
   Today to the dawn of the bosom:
   How glorious the hay is,
   because it has fallen on him!
   When silence had
   All the things on the ground
   And crowned with ice
   The cold night reigned,
   In the middle of the monarchy
   Of darkness so cruel,
   A carnation has fallen
   Today to the dawn of the bosom:
   How glorious the hay is
   because it has fallen on him!

Luis de Góngora y Argote, "At the birth of Christ Our Lord"

It can serve you: