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;
