Tag Archives: Weatherford

Tawddgyrch Cadwynog

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Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Stanzaic

Description: (TOWDD-girch ca-DOY-nog) This is a Welsh line form consisting of three to five sections of tetrasyllabic verse with abbc or abba rhyme that continues into the next line.

Origin: Welsh

Schematic:

xxxa xxxb xxxb xxxc
xxxa xxxb xxxb xxxc

Or:

xxxa xxxb xxxb xxxa
xxxa xxxb xxxb xxxa

The scheme follows through at least two lines, then can change.

Pasted from Poetry Base/Poetry Gnosis, with thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful resource.

This form consists of stanzas of usually four, lines, of four syllables: A. B. B. A.

Like the Rhupunt, it is common to join the lines together and end up with the two stanzas making a couplet.

X X X A X X X B X X X B X X X A.

X X X A X X X B X X X B X X X A.

In subsequent stanzas the rhyme may change, but not the pattern, C. D.D. C. and so on.

Pasted from The Poets Garret, with thanks to John Clitheroe for his work on the site.

My Example

Form: Tawddgyrch Cadwynog

A Variable Line Count Poem

To get it right
pen four by four
then add four more;
that’s how you write.

This form is tight
and furthermore
it is a chore
that does delight.

Two quatrains do
a couplet make;
and then you take
them up by two

(I know you knew),
for heaven’s sake
this takes the cake,
a brand new view.

OR

To get it right pen four by four
then add four more; that’s how you write.
This form is tight and furthermore
it is a chore that does delight.

Two quatrains do a couplet make;
and then you take them up by two
(I know you knew), for heaven’s sake
this takes the cake, a brand new view.

OR

To get it right pen four by four then add four more; that’s how you write.
This form is tight and furthermore it is a chore that does delight.
Two quatrains do a couplet make; and then you take them up by two
(I know you knew), for heaven’s sake this takes the cake, a brand new view.

© Lawrencealot – January 26, 2015

Adonics

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Adonics
Type: Line, Appendages
Description: An Adonic is a two foot line: Xxx XX or maybe Xxx Xx. It depends on the expert one consults. It is more often found as a tagline on the end of a stanza than as separate stanzas.
Origin: Greek
Schematic:  Xxx XX or Xxx Xx
Line/Poem Length: 5

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/000/4.shtml
with thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

This is Greek and classical, why not begin at the beginning.  An Adonic poem is one without rhyme, with just five syllables per line and a specific meter, or syllable arrangement.  We’re at the beginning so lets talk about that first.

When you say the word trouser you say it in a certain way, TROUSer.  There are two syllables and the first one is pronounced more clearly and for longer than the second syllable.  The first syllable is stressed and the second unstressed.  Put in different terms the word present can be done either way.  I have bought you a PREsent, would see the first syllable stressed and the second left unstressed.  I would like you to preSENT this to the group, puts the stress on the second syllable.  The meter of a poem, even more than the rhyme can carry it and give it a song-like rhythm so it is important to learn the specific ones for each form.

Back to ancient Greece.  This poem has a meter like this: stress-unstress-unstress-stress-stress, but the final one can also be unstressed.  We can express it from now on like this /uu//, where / is a stress and u is unstressed.  For instance the wordmicrowave would fit into the beginning of the line, and coffee to the end.  Microwave-coffee (this is what you’ll have to do if you forgot your coffee whilst writing poems).  Not a great poem yet but play around with the syllables until you’ve got it.  At least there’s no rhyme to confuse issues.  Read about meter and feet here, but really we’ll build on it as we go.  There’s another good website here.  The feet, or collections of meter and stresses represented here are called a Dactyl and Trochee.

Wiki tells me this poem originates from laments for Adonis, so write your own lament for your departed Adonis.  Although mine is about my baby niece who is at the moment over-enthusiastic about everyone’s

Christmas candy.
Chewing sweets today
Your few teeth work hard
you swallow too soon
gasping for your breath
So I try to help
Patting on your back
Until you giggle
and rummage for more.

You can see, this kind of meter restraint doesn’t do a lot for me, but short lines and no rhyme certainly makes for easy writing, and if you end up with a nice short-line poem you can tweak the meter afterwards.

Eclogue Debat -Reference

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Since this is not a form, but a Style, I’ll simply copy from Charles Weatherford Poetrybase.

Eclogue Debat

Type:

Style

Description:

An argument between country (pastoral) lovers. The old song “Get Up and Bar the Door” might be considered in this category.

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/004/440.shtml

My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

Edda Measures – Reference

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Edda Measures
Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Other Requirement
Description: See old story measure, speech measure, and song measure. They are all alliterative accentuals.
Origin: Norse

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/001/102.shtml
My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

Nordic Poetry

Edda Measures

The Edda Measures, (Edda meaning poetry or poetic tradition), are 2 books that have survived from 13th century Iceland. The first, the Elder Eddas, is an anthology of 34, 9th to 12th century Norse poems interspersed with prose primarily dealing with Norse mythology, recorded by Saxo Grammaticus. (a Christian cleric ) The second, theYounger Eddas, is attributed to the great Norse skald (poet) Snorri Sturluson , (1178-1241) Iceland. Isn’t that a great name? Snorri creates a handbook or manual of “how to” write in the pattern and theme of the Norse poet. He offers not just a “how to”, but also includes prose and poetry. The Norse version of the creation is found here as well as information on ancient poets.
The writings found within the books have three common characteristics,
• a mythological, ethical or heroic Teutonic theme,
• a simple style, anonymous and objective, and
• they never reveal the feelings or attitudes of the poet.
The Edda Measures are:
• narrative. They tell a tale.
• metric, accentual. Use rhythm of everyday language.
• stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains. The lines of the quatrain are developed from ancient writings of shorter lines making up an octave and being doubled in two phrases of longer Germanic lines.
• often written with caesura or break mid way in each line.
• composed with internal rhyme but never end rhymed.
• alliterative. Alliteration accentuates stress which is a standard of accentual verse.
• objective, the emotion of the poet is not communicated.
• often written employing kenning. (a sort of metaphor, using two nouns to name something, like “horse of the sea” instead of “boat”).
• found in 3 structural variations:
○ Old Story Measure or fornyroislog,
○ Speech Measure or malahattr and
○ Song Measure or ljoahattr

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?/topic/1091-the-edda-measures/
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

Chante Fable – Reference

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Since according to my search, there remains only one surviving example of this 13th Century French form,  I will provide you with the commentary of my favorite extant sources, and a link to that actual work. 

Chante-Fable

Type:

Style

Description:

A french form that can’t make up its mind whether to be verse or prose. More seriously, it is a romance that alternates between the two.

Origin:

French

 

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/000/39.shtml

My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

Chante Fable is a medieval French drama composed with alternate sections of verse and prose. It was originally meant to be performed by two jongleurs, the verse was sung, the prose spoken.

Chante Fable verse is:
• in sections alternating verse with prose.framed at the poet’s discretion with no specific number of lines.
• syllabic, usually 7 syllable lines and the strophe ending with a line of 4 syllables.
• rhymed using assonance within the line in all but the last line.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?/topic/681-chante-fable/
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

This is far too ambitious an undertaking for me to endeavor to create an example.

Below is apparently the only one surviving example of this form from the early 13th century. 

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1578/1578-h/1578-h.htm

Rondeau Prime

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The Rondeau Prime is a short variation of the Rondeau originating in 13th century France. It allows more rhyme than the Rondeau, but incorporates its defining feature of the integration of the rentrement. (opening phrase of the first line which is repeated as a refrain.)

The Rondeau Prime is:
○ in French syllabic, in English tends to be iambic meter, line length is optional as long as the lines are relatively equal, with the exception of the shorter rentrement.
○ 12 lines, made up of a septet (7 lines) followed by a cinquain (5 lines).
○ rhymed, rhyme scheme abbccbR abbaR, R being the rentrement.

Wind on the Terrace

A leaf in the wind taps the pane,
reminding me that you have gone.
Although my busy days move on,
it is small moments that I miss,
a gesture, glance, a touch, a kiss.
You went away before the dawn,
a leaf in the wind.

I watch the clouds bring in the rain,
the tears that fall and splash upon
the terrace of a time withdrawn,
the sound repeating your refrain,
a leaf in the wind.

© 2005 Judi Van Gorder

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=1382#prime
with thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource

Rondeau Prime

Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Repetitive Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement
Description: Two-part French form that is isosyllabic except for the shorter refrains. The refrain is the first part of the first line.
Origin: French
Schematic: (Ra)bbaabR abbaR

R = refrain and first part of first line.
Line/Poem Length: 12

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/002/230.shtml
with thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

Specifications restated, The Rondeau Prime is:
A 12 line poem of French origin, (variation of the Rondeau)
Syllabic in French, often iambic in English
Isosyllabic lines, except for the shorter refrain lines
Rhyme Scheme: (Ra)bbaabR abbaR,
where R is the first part of the first line and becomes the refrain.

My Example
(Form: Rondeau Prime)

If Pigs Could Fly

If pigs could fly men would have had
another bacon source of course
and fought their wars on pig and horse,
and knights courting their maidens fair
would routinely arrive by air
(and no-fly zones would be in force),
if pigs could fly.

Demand for goats would rise a tad
as farmers would of course endorse
a new refuse disposal source.
My backyard mud-hole would be rad
if pigs could fly.

© Lawrencealot – January 18, 2015

Visual Template

Rondeau Prime

Mad Cow

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Mad Cow
Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Other Requirement, Isosyllabic
Description: Written in twelve-syllable lines, the Mad Cow is a pastoral of seven quintains.
Attributed to: Sebastian “Duke” Delorange
Origin: American
Schematic:
In alexandrines with rhyme scheme: ababc cdede fgfgh hijij klklm mnono eieio

Rhythm/Stanza Length: 5
Line/Poem Length:         35

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/001/175.shtml
My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

My example

Waiting for Us

The clouds: my blanket every night; the grass: my bed,
while I stand guard. I watch the sheep who are content
in mountain meadows, where they’re brought to be well fed.
I guide them all to fresher fields as each is spent,
and sometimes sing to them – to keep coyotes at bay.

I dream that soon I’ll sing to you and we will play.
The streams and breeze and I sing acappella high
above our village nestled quietly below,
and when my tune is done I pause and sometimes sigh
in counting all the weeks that yet I have to go.

The grasses sway not near as gracefully as you.
The mountain peaks, from this pastoral scene delights,
and yet, their majesty is matched by profile view
of you, when in that springtime dress that so excites.
The flowers here appear as happy volunteers:

They smile more brightly any time a storm cloud clears;
They climb the hills beyond the point the sheep have grazed,
as though to share their fragrance with the spruce and pine.
Your perfume comes to mind; again I am amazed
that, if all things go well next year, dear, you’ll be mine.

With berries every day, (or any time I wish)
and pine-nuts for my salads always near at hand,
I supplement my diet frequently with fish,
there’s plenty to enjoy; this land is really grand.
I found a lovely glen where I shall stake a claim:

a perfect place to live when I give you my name.
The game is plentiful; we’ll live well off the land
and build a farm without incurring any debt
and that will bring a peace that few can understand.
Just you and me, and Shep: a sentry and a pet.

I’ll build a cabin, small but built with plans to grow,
for there’ll be many children needing to be raised
and taught with time to rake and hoe or cook and sew.
This land presents an opportunity few get.
We had to wait, but wait we did, without regret.

.

© Lawrencealot – December 18, 2014

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Mad ow

Mad Calf

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Mad Calf
Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Other Requirement, Isosyllabic
Description: This is the four stanza version of the Mad Cow. It is an allegorical pastoral written in six-syllable lines with the rhyme scheme: abcde fghij klmno eieio. It tends to be a bit lighter than the Mad Cow.

Attributed to: Sebastian “Duke” Delorange
Origin:American
Schematic:
Rhyme scheme: abcde fghij klmno eieio.
All lines six syllables.
Rhythm/Stanza Length: 5
Line/Poem Length: 20

Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/001/174.shtml
My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

My example

Breakfast Time (Mad Calf)

Baa! said the sheep aloud
but talking to himself.
Chirp, said the chick to the
rooster proudly strutting.
The tiny mouse said, squeak.

Meow, said the hungry
cat, and the mouse shut-up.
Bah! said the brawny bull
where are the cows today?
Whoo? the old owl replied.

Cluck, said the mother hen
to the proud rooster’s back.
Little oinks from piglets
and big ones from their dad –
odds tones that seemed to rhyme.

Later on they’d be meek,
avoid folks, go their way,
but now they’re primed to speak
and the noise seems okay
because it’s breakfast time.

© Lawrencealot – December 16, 2014

Visual template

Mad Calf

Englyn unodl crwca

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Englyn unodl crwca, én-glin éen-oddle crewc (crooked short one rhyme englyn) the 4th codified Official Welsh Meter, an Englyn,, is the structural reverse of Englyn unodl union which is far more popular. The englyn unodl crwca is rarely used.

The Englyn unodl crwc is:
• stanzaic, written as any number of quatrains,
• syllabic, 7-7-10-6 syllable per line.
• rhymed, mono rhymed. In L3 the main rhyme is found in the last half of the line followed by caesura and gair cyrch.
• composed with “gair cyrch” in L3 (syllables in the last half of a line that follow the main rhyme marked by caesura. The gair cyrch end rhyme is to be echoed or consonated as secondary rhyme in the 1st half of L4. The caesura often appears as a dash.)

x x x x x x A

x x x x x x A

x x x x x x A – x x b

x b x x x A

Kyt ymwnel kywyt, bryt brys,

yn llawen llewych yslys,

lletryt dallon donn ef ai dengys—gud

lliw blaen gruc Generys.

—- Einion Offeiriad 15th century

Upon this Rock by Judi Van Gorder

He chose a simple fisherman,

rock foundation holds God’s plan,

His anointed Sacristan – head of church,

Peter’s perch . . . Vatican.

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?showtopic=984
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

Englyn Unodl Crwca
Type: Structure, Metrical Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Stanzaic
Description: (englin eenoddle crewcah) A quatrain with syllable counts: seven, seven, ten, and six and having rhyme and cross-rhyme.
Origin: Welsh
Schematic:
xxxxxxa
xxxxxxa
xxxxxxaxxb
xbxxxa

a = main rhyme.
b = subsidiary rhyme that has consonance,
assonance, alliteration

Cross rhymes can shift a few positions:
a = 7-9
b = 2-4
Rhythm/Stanza Length: 4


Pasted from http://www.poetrybase.info/forms/001/116.shtml
My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

Related Welsh Form are HERE.

My example

Meth-a-morphosis

Meth-a-morphosis (Englyn unodl cdwc)

My friends girl-friend’s mouth’s a mess
It is meth-mouth I confess.
The facts she will not address – what great cost
to be lost to excess.

She is not dumb, she’s aware.
Need’s too strong, she doesn’t care
though she knows there’s help out there – not for her!
She’ll defer to despair.

© Lawrencealot – December 12, 2014

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Englyn unodl cdwca

Double Refrain Chant Royal

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Double Refrain Chant Royal

Type:

Structure, Metrical Requirement, Repetitive Requirement, Rhyme Scheme Requirement, Isosyllabic

Description:

This is another one I made up. But I ask you, why shouldn’t I? This is a Chant Royal with an extra refrain. To accommodate the extra refrain without messing up the Chanso requirements, I changed the rhyme scheme a mite. It just seemed to need doing.

Attributed to:

“The Dread Poet Roberts”

Origin:

American

Schematic:

ababcCcdedE
ababcCcdedE
ababcCcdedE
ababcCcdedE
ababcCcdedE
CdedE

Where C and E are the two refrains.

Rhythm/Stanza Length:

11

Line/Poem Length:

60

To contact us, e-mail thegnosticpoet@poetrybase.info.

Copyright © 2001-2013 by Charles L. Weatherford. All rights reserved.

My thanks to Charles L. Weatherford for his years of work on the wonderful Poetrybase resource.

 

 

My example

 Ludwig II

Ludwig II – The Fairy Tale King

Of all the kings that I have ever known,

it’s thee that I would swear allegiance to.

Much of your youth you had to spend alone,

a real child prince with a child prince’s view.

If you be mad, dear prince, let all kings be.

Lasting beauty rose from your youth’s fantasy.

Announced by some as “The Fairy Tale King”,

(A minister looked down his nose and sniffed.)

For history, you did a wondrous thing.

Medieval memories – a worthwhile gift.

 

Ascended at age eighteen to the throne

Within two years his kingdom days were through

when Prussia claimed Bavaria for its own.

Bavaria was merged without much ado.

If you be mad, dear prince, let all kings be.

You touted theater, the arts, and poetry

which seems to have a proper kingly zing.

You gave the European arts a lift.

You gave chivalry back its song to sing.

Medieval memories – a worthwhile gift.

 

The seeds of Wagner’s operas were sown

in your young heart, and there they always grew.

His move into your castle was renown,

His reputation spread because of you.

If you be mad, dear prince, let all kings be.

You sent envoys around the world to see

designs chosen to give your castles zing.

Through all the projects you yourself would sift;

your love of legend touched most everything.

Medieval memories – a worthwhile gift.

 

Your ministers would often gripe and moan

“Castles are extravagant ! Skip a few !”

although the fortune spent was just your own.

The use of public funds you did eschew.

If you be mad, dear prince, let all kings be.

Our spirits elevation brought you glee.

Local builders worked building every wing,

thus giving the economy a lift.

The splendid structures often made them sing.

Medieval memories- a worthwhile gift.

 

With royal purse and funds obtained by loan

for two decades you kept employed a crew;

where artisans had clearly set the tone.

No wonder locals did and do love you.

If you be mad, dear prince, let all kings be.

Too many think “This bounty’s all for me,”

and tightly onto privilege they will cling.

Your projects spoke of anything but thrift

Yet each year now, fine revenue they bring.

Medieval memories – a worthwhile gift.

 

If you be mad, dear prince, let all kings be.

What happiness would such a focus bring

if politics took a paradigm shift

Nueschwanstein is your your monument my King.

Medieval memories – a worthwhile gift.

© Lawrencealot – December 5, 2014

Picture credit: Wikipedia Commons

 

Visual Template

Double Refrain Chant Royal