The Tetractys is a modern syllabic poetic form invented by the English poet Ray Stebbing. It draws its name and inspiration from the ancient Greek mathematical/philosophical concept of the tetractys – a triangular arrangement of 10 points (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10), which Pythagoras and his followers considered sacred.
A Double Tetractys is made of two Tetractys poems joined together:
- The first five lines build up
- The next five lines mirror them in reverse
Syllable pattern (per line):
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 10 / 10 / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
That’s it. Ten lines. Exact syllable counts.
The form is designed to express a complete thought (profound, witty, comic, or wise) in a compact space, often described as a British counterpart to the haiku in its brevity and challenge.
My Double Tetractys was written in response to Svenja’s prompt at The Skeptics Kaddish