Nocturna has an interesting history. The word was first used by Christians and was a form of night prayers. Later, it appeared in the 18th century and was derived from the French ‘nocturnal’ and was usually music inspired by the night and played at evening parties. During that time poetry was also recited.

The painter Whistler used that name in some of his paintings, they also had a night theme, which in turn inspired Chopin to write his well loved Nocturnes.

The Nocturna is basically a nine line poetry form based on the nocturne theme containing three three line lessons recited during the night. The subject must be nocturnal and it consists of three tercets linked by the rhyme of the centre line. Here goes:

The city is the same
the same moon stalks the skies
A finger writes your name
High on the night
I look into your eyes
Kept deep out of sight
There are no boundaries here
Our dreams trapped in a sigh
A snare that I never will share.