The Pantoum

A pantoum is a form of poetry that requires students to pay close attention to structure. It is written in quatrains, with spaces between the quatrains, although some contemporary poets leave out the traditional spaces. The stanzas are linked with lines 2 and 4 becoming lines 1 and 3 of the next quantrain. The pantoum ends by the final quatrain repeating lines 1 and 3 of the first stanza, or lines 1 and 3 can become lines 4 and 2 of the final stanza.

Many of my students have found this complex form fun, like a puzzle. The effect of the repetition is sometimes startling and profound.

The following pantoum was written by Martiese Morone, grade 12. It does not end in the traditional way, but he has found a satisfying ending to this poem about anxiety.


Do I Really Want to Know?

Is it someone I know?
I stand petrified, silent
wondering what's behind the closed door.
Is it dark?

I stand petrified, silent
Is someone there?
Is it dark?
I raise my hand to knock.

Is someone there?
Do I really want to know?
I raise my hand to knock.
Slowly I put down my hand.

Do I really want to know?
I raise my hand quickly before I lose my nerve.
Slowly I lower my hand.
Knock. Knock.

I raise it quickly before I lose my nerve.
Silence answers.
Knock. Knock.
No sign of life.

Silence answers.
Then hearing a deep voice,
a sign of life,
familiarity drives away my fear.

Then hearing a deep voice,
I take a freeing breath.
Familiarity drives away my fear.
Sighing, I put down my hand.

I take a freeing breath.
It is someone I know.
Sighing, I put down my hand.
I really want to know.