The Decuain (pronounced deck•won), created by Shelley A. Cephas, is a short poem made up of 10 lines.  There are 10 syllables per line, and the poem is written in iambic pentameter.  It may be written on any subject.

You may choose among 3 rhyme schemes:

ababbcbcaa,

ababbcbcbb, or

ababbcbccc

For a longer Decuain poem, add more stanzas (to double, triple, quadruple, etc.).

MARIE ELENA’S DILUTED ATTEMPT:

BETWEEN YOU AND ME
(Yep.  More silliness.)

Lake Erie sits between us like a … lake.
Toledo’s shallow end is home to Jeep.

(One “shallow” quip from you, I’ll pound your … cake!
Remember, what you sow is what you’ll reap -
but I’ll admit your Erie end is deep).

You Buffalonians now brew LaBatt
But don’t expect to get it on the cheap.
(Unless you pop the bung and drain the vat).

I’d offer you a Mud Hens baseball hat,
But, as a Bison, you would NOT wear that.

You chastise me, my use of hat for cap?
And reprimand my use of vats for beer?
Okay, so please forgive my slight mishap,
But know that barrel don’t cost less, m’dear.

Excuse my blather – thoughts just won’t cohere.
Forgive my rhymes so obviously forced.
I didn’t mean to hurt your expert ear.
Perhaps my Decuain would be best outsourced.

Now, lose that smirk and wipe away that sneer,
Or buster, you can stick it in your ear!

WALT’S DECUAIN:

CARPE

So long, Sandman! It’s time you take a hike.
The morning sun comes up above the trees,
and it’s already hotter than I like.
Yet, if it were still up to me, I’d squeeze
a bit more sleep into this morning, please?
But no, I must get ready for this day,
I’ll set my sail and head into the breeze.
There’s mouths to feed and bills I have to pay.
I’m thankful for these days I have to seize,
I’ll put up with a few more days like these!

The joys we share will fill our hearts with love.
there’s nothing like the feelings they will bring.
And in our long embrace our hearts will move,
to join together tightly as we cling.
We seize this day; to bow, give thanks and sing.
The evening fast approaches come what may,
and love becomes the most important thing.
So offer in the words you have to say,
compassion that will heal life’s undoing.
Take hold of life and feel your love growing.