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Glite Dictionary
sestina

sestina

1 9.9
A poem with six stanzas of six lines and a final three-line stanza that repeats end words
  • noun
  • /sɛˈstiːnə/
  • Literature
translation icon : sestina
  • The next morning, in the chilly dark, Ruth began a sestina using Lillian's six words:

I I think it's it's the shortest possible sestina.

Examples

  • "The reason I came is—I wrote a sestina."

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Ms. Mullen's collection includes several sonnets, at least one pantoum, and a couple of sestinas.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Now, the first line of the sestina will end with the word 'sleep.'

    Fiction book (2002)

  • "A sestina," Ruth explained, "was an Italian Renaissance form."

    Fiction book (2002)

  • The following Thursday, the poetry professor distributed Sir Philip Sidney's double sestina.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Can Queneau's elaboration on the sestina be merely coincidental?

    Academic text (1996)

  • The week after Lillian's remarks about suicide, the poetry professor distributed a mimeographed sestina.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Here, why don't I show you grandpups how to build a fire, gather blueberries, or even compose a sestina?

    Fiction book (1999)

  • In her latest poetry class, Sarah taught her students how to write a sestina with a unique pattern.

  • The famous poet recited a beautiful sestina that left the audience in awe.

How Structured

sestina
  • Literature
1 9.9
sonnet
  • Literature
29 6.2
verse form
  • Literature
1 7.0
blank verse
  • Literature
1 7.7
free verse
  • Literature
3 6.0

Surface Forms

sestina singular
sestinas plural

Etymology

Sestina comes from Italian and means something like 'sixth', from Italian sesto 'sixth' and Latin sextus 'sixth'. Because a sestina is made of six-line stanzas and a short final stanza, the idea of 'six' is the simple memory key to the form.