Poetry comes in all forms, from sonnets to free form, and something I’ve wanted to do to better express myself is create some new forms of poetry for others to use.
The Retraux
Overview
The Retraux is a 7-line stanzaic poetic form developed specifically for trauma literature and recovery-based poetry. Its shape enacts the recursive logic of survival: echo, rupture, and return. The form is closed and self-reflective, yet deliberately avoids neat symmetry – evoking the psychological tension between progress and relapse.
Structure
Stanza Length:
7 lines per stanza (may be used as a standalone or repeated modularly)
Rhyme Scheme:
A B C C X A B
• A lines: Rhyme with each other
• B lines: Rhyme with each other
• C lines: Rhyme with each other and must begin with the same phrase
• X line: A short rupture line – emotionally or grammatically incomplete (1–3 syllables) – functions as a volta or psychological break
Recommended Syllable Counts:
• A: 10 syllables
• B: 8 syllables
• C: 6 syllables
• X: 1 – 3 syllables
Retraux Signature Elements
• C-line repetition: Both C lines must begin with the same phrase or clause, creating an echo that highlights trauma imprinting
• X-line rupture: Functions like an emotional blink, dissociative pause, or sharp turn. Often enjambed or fragmented
• Backward return: The final A and B lines mirror earlier phrasing, emphasizing regression, self-surveillance, or cognitive looping
Voice and Usage
Ideal For:
• Trauma writing
• Abuse survivorship
• Recursive memory or grief
• Psychological dissociation or identity fracture
• Therapy-based narrative work
Tone Guidance:
• Avoid ornamental language
• Let tension arise from formal echo and compression
• Emphasize internal spirals over narrative arcs
