Glossary of Poetic Terms

Invented by Indigo Weller, the torchon is a poetic form evolved from the sestina. The name torchon derives from torchon lace, which is a bobbin-lace weaving pattern. The structure of the torchon, like the sestina, revolves around repeated end-words. These rules and the weaving of words mirror the delicate interplay of threads in torchon lace. Each stanza picks up where the last one left off, ensuring a continuous flow of thought and emotion, much like the uninterrupted threads in lacework. See “Sho” by Douglas Kearney.