I heard of a poetry form new to me called a Lai. It’s a French form, nine lines long with the rhyme pattern aabaabaab. The “a” lines have five syllables each, and the “b” lines have two syllables in each. It was on Donnetta Norris’s Slice of Life last week. She wrote a poem to teachers called “You Shine.”  I used the Lai form to write about my youngest daughter.

Katie
Honest and forthright
Visionary sight
Bent true
Ideas so bright
Ready, winged for flight
Hope true
Dauntless facing night
With hope reunite
Trust true

And here is my first attempt when I made a mistake and didn’t really write a Lai, though I liked how this aabccbddb rhyme pattern about Katie turned out:

My Daughter Katie
Confident and strong
Ensures all belong
Laugh full
Future trust in plans
Safely in God’s hands
Life full
Advocate with nerve
Promise never swerves
Love full