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The Decima

Also Known As Also known as the espinela.
Fixed Forms of the Romance Tradition

A ten-line Spanish stanza form, also called the espinela after its 16th-century codifier Vicente Espinel, rhymed in a fixed pattern and widely used across the Spanish-speaking world for both literary verse and improvised oral performance, including Latin American and Caribbean folk song traditions.

Facts
Place of Origin
Spain, 16th century, codified by Vicente Espinel; later spread throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. 1
Structure
Ten octosyllabic lines rhymed abbaaccddc. 1
Notable Example
The Cuban and Puerto Rican decima repentista (improvised) song traditions. 1
Connections

Form Of Genre

Lyric Poetry, Genres
Source The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
Sources
1. The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
Princeton University Press

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