Awit

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The awit is a form of Filipino poetry. Its literal translation into English is "song," although in the context of poetry, it is closer to the narrative.

[edit] Characteristics

The following are characteristics observed in the awit, Florante at Laura.

4 lines/stanza;
12 syllables/line;
a rhyme scheme of AAAA (in the Tagalog manner of rhyming described by Jose Rizal in Tagalische Verskunst);
a slight pause on the sixth syllable;
each stanza is usually a complete grammatically-correct sentence;
each stanza is full of figures of speech (according to Fernando Monleon, Balagtas used 28 types in 395 instances throughout the poem);
the author is usually anonymous;