What is a Décima?

The Décima is a Spanish form of poetry, though the term is also used to describe stanzas of ten lines.

History

There are several forms of poetry referred to as Décima, though the term originally referred to any stanza of ten lines. What most of us recognise as a Décima these days is a form created by Vicente Espinel during the Spanish Golden Age, a period of immense cultural innovation.

The Décima of the 14th and 15th Centuries have continued to evolve and enjoy popularity in Puerto Rico, while the form innovated by Espinel, sometimes called Décima Espinela, is immensely popular in Ecuador. A further version (Décima Italiana) appeared in the 18th Century, though this has become more popular in Italy, where it is known as Décima Rima.

Form

Firstly, we’ll look at the Puerto Rican Décima. Often these poems are improvised and sung to music. These poems are built upon octosyllabic lines (octameter) where each line consists of eight metrical feet, with the following rhyme scheme:

A
B
B
A
A
C
C
D
D
C

Because of their improvised nature, it’s fair to say these poems are typically simpler than the Décima Rima, with a focus on the enjoyment of the audience.

The Décima of Ecuador, however, has four stanzas of ten lines, with an additional four lines serving as an intro. These lines will be repeated in the poem, creating a complex series of refrains, though meter, rhyme and the placement of these lines are not dictated. This form retains its eight syllable counts, giving it similarities to Glosa, another Spanish poetic form.

When the Décima Espinela is performed, there is a pause between each stanza, as well as after the fourth line of each stanza, and a stress on the seventh syllable of each line, though this is easier to pull off in Spanish than in English.

The Décima Rima also features eight syllables and ten lines, but with a different rhyme scheme:

A
B
A
B
A
B
C
D
E
D
E
C

In this instance, the ‘C’ rhyme should be a masculine one, with a stress on the last syllable.

Use

The topics covered by the Décima are widespread, though they have a joyous nature. Satirical Décima will often make fun of a person’s folly, inviting the subject to respond in kind. This is especially common in Puerto Rico, and resembles the rap battles started during Puerto Rican street parties in New York.

Though the Décima might be joyous, that doesn’t mean it cannot tackle serious matters. Irony and satire are two of the poet’s best friends—they can transform a sad subject into one filled with laughter, it’s just a matter of intent.