1. A verse form consisting of four-line stanzas with an interlocking rhyme scheme, in which the second and fourth lines of each stanza become the first and third lines of the next stanza.
Usage: literary; poetry form; also spelled 'pantun' in Malay origin

Examples

• The poet chose the pantoum form to create a hypnotic, repetitive effect in her work.
• In a pantoum, lines recur in a specific pattern that builds meaning through repetition.
• The pantoum originated in Malay poetry before being adopted by English-language poets.
• Writing a pantoum requires careful planning to ensure the interlocking rhyme scheme works throughout.
• Many contemporary poets have experimented with the pantoum to explore themes of memory and loss.