Pantun
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The Pantun is a Malay poetic form. The pantun originated as an oral literary form of expression traditionally used among the Malays. Pantun had been in its current form since 15th century at the latest, based on Malay manuscripts written within this period.
In its most basic form the pantun consists of even-numbered lines based on an abab rhyming scheme, with the shortest pantun consisting of two lines, and it can go up to 16 lines, but 4 is more likely. A pantun is traditionally recited according to a fixed rhythym and as a rule of thumb, in order not to deviate from the rhythym, every line should contain between eight and 12 syllables.
Pantuns are written in quatrains, generally following an abab rhyme scheme. The second and fourth lines of each stanza become the first and third lines of the following stanza. Finally, the first and third lines of the first stanza become the second and fourth lines of the last stanza, usually in reverse order so that the first and last lines of the poem are identical.
The following example gives an idea of the requirements of the form, and how they can be applied in a verse.
"Opus 1642" by Phillip A. Ellis, 19 September 2004
This is where I dwell—- under the moon’s beams I can never tell why I dream my dreams
under the moon’s beams. So, I write, in verse, why I dream my dreams why my dreams all fade....
So, I write, in verse—- I can never tell why my dreams disperse: this is where I dwell.
