Writing and Public Speaking
How to Write an Ode
By:Collaborator
Created by Pindar out of the traditional forms of Greek tragedy, the ode is generally defined as a rhymed poem of irregular meter that praises its subject. The English ode consists of an undefined number of 10-line stanzas.
Consider the subject matter that you wish to write about, and remember that beauty can be found in the least expected places. Was watching "American Beauty" the first time you thought a plastic bag caught in the wind was beautiful?
Write a 10-line stanza of iambic verse using an ababcdecde rhyme scheme.
Proceed to write as many 10-line stanzas as desired. Use the same rhyme scheme pattern in the following stanzas, but with different rhymes. If you do this correctly, the "a" of a stanza will rhyme only with the "a" of that same stanza.
Revise as needed.