[ginger]

During her time as guest lariat, Rhina Espaillat introduced us to the ovillejo. Since there have been a couple ovillejos on the met boards in the last couple days, I thought it might be helpful to go back and look at that introduction. I was going to pop the original thread back up, but since it's very long and includes several additional topics, I've copied and pasted the relevant portion here. I suppose I really ought to try one of these myself. Best of luck to all of us! --Ginger

Originally posted by Rhina P. Espaillat:

...the "ovillejo," an old Spanish verse form that means "tight little bundle." "-ejo" is one of our blessed diminutives, and "ovillo" means "tangled ball of yarn." I've seen only a few of them, but it was love at first sight, because of the
fun involved. Here's a home-made sample that will show why it's called what it's called, and illustrate the way the lines are related to each other. The last line is a "redondilla," a "little round" that collects all three of the short lines. The rhyme scheme is established, but the meter is at the poet's discretion, although in Spanish the longer lines tend to be octosyllabic. Here goes:

OSTINATO

Evidence says I lie
But I--
Though all the world concur--
Prefer
One voice, and one alone:
My own.
The experts cluck and groan,
"No, no! It's round, not flat!"
Their data second that.
But I prefer my own.

Ovillejos don't have to be light verse, of course.