Today’s poetic form is called the Trova, and it is of Brazilian and Portuguese origins. The featured book is a delightful abcderian rhyming book that takes young readers on a journey from head to toes, and yes, the nose too!

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support. Please see the full disclosure for more information. I only recommend products I definitely would (or have already) use myself

The Trova Poetic Form

From the rimas dissolutas poetic form popularized by the French troubadors for the letter R, through a fairly modern invented form for the letter S, we arrive at the Trova performed by Trovadors in Portugal and Brazil, and still a popular traditional form there.

So What is the Trova?

Historically used to refer to any poetry or verse, the Trova later emerged as a distinct form all its own, a self-contained, untitled, rhyming, heptasyllabic quatrain. The Trova are usually related to popular culture, and the single stanza conveys a complete message.

As a verb, trovar means to versify, or to compose verses or songs.

The Trova’s Characteristics

So the trova’s elements are that, at its most basic, it is:

• stanzaic: One single quatrain (4-line stanza)
• isosyllabic: the lines are 7 syllables each
• rhymed: the most common rhyme scheme is ABAB, while other rhyme schemes used are ABCB, ABBA, and AABB
• untitled
• self-contained

h/t and further reading

• Wikipedia: here and here
• Wiktionary on trovar
• Infoescola

My Attempts

While I don’t think I am on prompt for NaPoWriMo’s Day 23 (to write in the style of Kay Ryan’s short and snappy poems with rhyme and sound-play, and with the deceptive simplicity of proverbs or aphorisms. You can read  her “Token Loss,” and “Blue China Doorknob” among others), I was certainly in a “like dad, like daughter” proverbial mood as well as in a jiving with my little girl mood too, so here are three Trovas for you.

she tugged on that flannel shirt
the one too large (well, a bit!),
for it brought instant comfort,
one day her dad’s shirt would fit.
~ vidya tiru @ ladyinreadwrites

laughter sparkles from their lips
sings a song that seems to dance
to silent tunes, swaying hips
and bowing to unseen fans….
~ vidya tiru @ ladyinreadwrites

as she placed her tiny feet
where her papa’s had just met
the sands below, I captured
that sweet shot, lest I forget!
~ vidya tiru @ ladyinreadwrites

Pin Me

The Book

There’s an N on Your Nose

As I mentioned earlier, this book will take its readers on a delightful abcderian journey, from the head to the toes. This one is original with creative and playful rhymes accompanied by detailed, vibrant, and whimsical illustrations that will make it a repeat-read.

While the letters don’t go from A to Z in alphabetical order and not all of the letters are included, it is a truly imaginative and fun way to learn the alphabet, body parts, and even spellings! I also love the subtle details that show inclusion and diversity even through the adorable animal characters in the book.

In Summary

A delightful way to learn!

Get it here

And Now, the End of This Post

Dear readers, have you read the featured book? Or any similar reads? I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations. What do you think about the trova poetic form? Will you attempt it yourself?

For previous posts in the challenges for this month, check out the links below:

Day 0  Day 1 – A  Day 2 – B  Day 3  Day 4 – C  Day 5 – D  Day 6 – E  Day 7 – F  Day 8 – G  Day 9 – H  Day 10  Day 11 – I  Day 12 – J  Day 13 – K  Day 14 – L  Day 15 – M  Day 16 – N Day 17  Day 18 – O  Day 19 – P Day 20 – Q Day 21 – R Day 22 – S

Linking up to BlogChatterA2Z, Blogging from A-to-Z April Challenge, NaPoWriMo, and the Ultimate Blog Challenge