A syllabic quatrain, the SEICINQUE has syllable counts per line of 6, 5, 5, and 5. Its rhyme scheme is abcb. When used for multiple stanzas, the seicinque - attributed to Linda Pentney - uses the two middle lines as a refrains, so that it becomes aBCb dBCb eBCb, etc.


Examples 1 & 2 by Linda Pentney:

The Storm

Dark looming clouds look down.
Angrily intense,
thunderous tempest
rain soaks, no defence.
----
----

One Tear in her Eye

She walks a lonely road
one tear in her eye
always down her cheek,
it will never dry.

A mem’ry dark and sad
one tear in her eye
always down her cheek,
it will never die.

A heart so full of shame
one tear in her eye
always down her cheek,
she lies down to die.

A childhood of abuse
one tear in her eye
always down her cheek,
she will say goodbye.