Poetry Forms - the letters D & E
Moderators: DoctorGamgee, Primula, Rosie, daughter_of_kings, Moderators
Poetry Forms - the letters D & E
The thread for the Letter A is here.
The thread for the Letter B is here.
The thread for the Letter C is here.
This thread contains the following:
Double-dactyl - pg. 1
Diminishing verse - pg. 1
Echo verse - pg. 1
As before, everyone is welcome to try either the current form or to give any past form a whirl. Many thanks are given to Mr. Lewis Turco and his work The Book of Forms.
The letter D began in the book with a number of forms that we'll be passing over, as most of them were categories rather than forms (i.e. 'debate' and 'dirge') or very specific (i.e. 'dithyramb' - a frenzied choric song in honor of revelry and wine) - hence the first form for our use here is one some of us have seen before, but the world cannot have too many Double-dactyls
According to Turco, '(A Double-Dactyl) is a poem made up of two quatrains rhyming abcd efgd. Lines 1-3 of each stanza are dactylic dimeter lines; the last line of each stanza is composed of an iamb and a trochee. The first line of the first stanza is always 'Higgledy-piggledy'; the second line is a name. THe second line of the second stanza is a double dactyl modifier. Only the last lines of each stanza are required to rhyme, though there may be other rhymes of various kinds as well."
Another way of saying this I've taken from our own early attempts at these in the waaay back years of this community:
A dactyl is three syllables with the emphasis on the first syllable. A double dactyl is two of those together (BUM-bum-bum BUM-bum-bum). There are some words out there that are double dactyls (invisibility, extracurricular, verisimilitude, for example).
A double dactyl poem has eight lines.
Lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 are all six syllables with the emphasis on the 1st and 4th syllables.
Lines 4 and 8 are both four syllables -- a dactyl plus an extra (BUM-bum-bum BUM!) and these lines rhyme.
Some specifications about what goes in each line:
*Line 1 is nonsense -- higgledy piggledy, or whatever you feel like making up and suits the pattern.
*Line 2 is a name or proper title -- Boromir Steward's Son
*Line 3 is whatever you want (six syllables)
*Line 4 is whatever you want (four syllables)
*Lines 5, 6, and 7 can be whatever you want, but ONE of them has to be one word that's a double dactyl.
*Line 8 is whatever you want, but generally has a kind of twist to it, like a limerick's ending. Line 8 also rhymes with line 4.
Are we confused yet?
A couple of my own (you don't have to have a LOTR theme):
The Ring
Grippery, Frippery.
One Ring to rule them all
Anthropomorphical
Small golden knot.
Where would we be sans its
Megalomaniacal
Circumlocutional
Part of the plot?
Samwise
Frying-pan, frying-pan.
Samwise the Gardener
Gastrointestinal
Cook of the team.
Thus Gollum found his own
Unceremonious
Duplicate leverets
Served up with steam.
(My collection thus far can be read over here at the Scrapbook.)
Your turn!
The thread for the Letter B is here.
The thread for the Letter C is here.
This thread contains the following:
Double-dactyl - pg. 1
Diminishing verse - pg. 1
Echo verse - pg. 1
As before, everyone is welcome to try either the current form or to give any past form a whirl. Many thanks are given to Mr. Lewis Turco and his work The Book of Forms.
The letter D began in the book with a number of forms that we'll be passing over, as most of them were categories rather than forms (i.e. 'debate' and 'dirge') or very specific (i.e. 'dithyramb' - a frenzied choric song in honor of revelry and wine) - hence the first form for our use here is one some of us have seen before, but the world cannot have too many Double-dactyls
According to Turco, '(A Double-Dactyl) is a poem made up of two quatrains rhyming abcd efgd. Lines 1-3 of each stanza are dactylic dimeter lines; the last line of each stanza is composed of an iamb and a trochee. The first line of the first stanza is always 'Higgledy-piggledy'; the second line is a name. THe second line of the second stanza is a double dactyl modifier. Only the last lines of each stanza are required to rhyme, though there may be other rhymes of various kinds as well."
Another way of saying this I've taken from our own early attempts at these in the waaay back years of this community:
A dactyl is three syllables with the emphasis on the first syllable. A double dactyl is two of those together (BUM-bum-bum BUM-bum-bum). There are some words out there that are double dactyls (invisibility, extracurricular, verisimilitude, for example).
A double dactyl poem has eight lines.
Lines 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 are all six syllables with the emphasis on the 1st and 4th syllables.
Lines 4 and 8 are both four syllables -- a dactyl plus an extra (BUM-bum-bum BUM!) and these lines rhyme.
Some specifications about what goes in each line:
*Line 1 is nonsense -- higgledy piggledy, or whatever you feel like making up and suits the pattern.
*Line 2 is a name or proper title -- Boromir Steward's Son
*Line 3 is whatever you want (six syllables)
*Line 4 is whatever you want (four syllables)
*Lines 5, 6, and 7 can be whatever you want, but ONE of them has to be one word that's a double dactyl.
*Line 8 is whatever you want, but generally has a kind of twist to it, like a limerick's ending. Line 8 also rhymes with line 4.
Are we confused yet?
A couple of my own (you don't have to have a LOTR theme):
The Ring
Grippery, Frippery.
One Ring to rule them all
Anthropomorphical
Small golden knot.
Where would we be sans its
Megalomaniacal
Circumlocutional
Part of the plot?
Samwise
Frying-pan, frying-pan.
Samwise the Gardener
Gastrointestinal
Cook of the team.
Thus Gollum found his own
Unceremonious
Duplicate leverets
Served up with steam.
(My collection thus far can be read over here at the Scrapbook.)
Your turn!
Last edited by Primula on Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
- DoctorGamgee
- Posts: 4736
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:56 am
- Location: Laredo, TX
Poetry Forms - the letter D
You mean like this:
Primula
Poetress, Sows-a-Dress.
Book-weilding Gardener
Raises her Nose up to
Chase a quick Rhyme.
Drinking teas, Planting peas,
Phantasmagorical
Muse-loving Writer who
Just needs more Thyme!
Primula
Poetress, Sows-a-Dress.
Book-weilding Gardener
Raises her Nose up to
Chase a quick Rhyme.
Drinking teas, Planting peas,
Phantasmagorical
Muse-loving Writer who
Just needs more Thyme!
Proud father of G-minor and the Bean!
Re: Poetry Forms - the letter D
Muse-loving Writer who
Just needs more Thyme!
Goodness, isn't that true! I must complain about that a bit much... Well done, sir, I salute thee in amusement
Just needs more Thyme!
Goodness, isn't that true! I must complain about that a bit much... Well done, sir, I salute thee in amusement
- DoctorGamgee
- Posts: 4736
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:56 am
- Location: Laredo, TX
Re: Poetry Forms - the letter D
You know better than to encourage me...
Daughter of Kings
DoK, A-OK!
Rohirrim Shieldmaiden,
Lover of horses and
Reader of Books!
Microbiologist,
Moot-maker! Risk-taker:
Eating the morsles that
Hobbitfolks cooks!
Daughter of Kings
DoK, A-OK!
Rohirrim Shieldmaiden,
Lover of horses and
Reader of Books!
Microbiologist,
Moot-maker! Risk-taker:
Eating the morsles that
Hobbitfolks cooks!
Proud father of G-minor and the Bean!
- DoctorGamgee
- Posts: 4736
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:56 am
- Location: Laredo, TX
Re: Poetry Forms - the letter D
And I wonder how long before they all are treated in such a way...
Rosie
Flannery, Cannery
Board-Bride of Icarus!
Weaving and Painting
A planter of seeds!
Sipping Teas, Canning Cheese
Patriot Advocate
Ultra-methodical
Do-er of Deeds!
Rosie
Flannery, Cannery
Board-Bride of Icarus!
Weaving and Painting
A planter of seeds!
Sipping Teas, Canning Cheese
Patriot Advocate
Ultra-methodical
Do-er of Deeds!
Proud father of G-minor and the Bean!
- daughter_of_kings
- Posts: 4869
- Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 5:36 am
- Location: Dunharrow...er...Texas
Re: Poetry Forms - the letter D
You're really on a roll, Doc - those are deliciously funny! Keep going!
Now, if only my Muse hadn't given two weeks notice, packed her bags and taken off for parts unknown, oh, years ago...
Now, if only my Muse hadn't given two weeks notice, packed her bags and taken off for parts unknown, oh, years ago...
If the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence... water your grass.
- daisy gold
- Posts: 2073
- Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 3:16 pm
- Location: Belfast, Ireland
Re: Poetry Forms - the letter D
Well done Dr G. These are wonderful, you have a talent for the DD's.
On Tuesday my brother took us up the Mourne Mountains. We didn't walk too far but stopped by a stream.
This is where they filmed some scenes for that tv series which features Sean Bean and thrones.
I have now been inspired to write a DD. I hasten to add we all came away safely from the mountain.
The Stream
Happily, clappily,
Daisy the hobbit lass
Trips through the sparkling stream
Cooling tired feet.
Undone her fickle fun,
Infelicitously
Slipping on slimy stones
Cold water she meets.
On Tuesday my brother took us up the Mourne Mountains. We didn't walk too far but stopped by a stream.
This is where they filmed some scenes for that tv series which features Sean Bean and thrones.
I have now been inspired to write a DD. I hasten to add we all came away safely from the mountain.
The Stream
Happily, clappily,
Daisy the hobbit lass
Trips through the sparkling stream
Cooling tired feet.
Undone her fickle fun,
Infelicitously
Slipping on slimy stones
Cold water she meets.
He beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.
Re: Poetry Forms - the letter D
Wonderful, Daisy, as always
You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to. ~Bilbo
I'm on Facebook ~ The-tinidril on deviantART.com
I'm on Facebook ~ The-tinidril on deviantART.com
- DoctorGamgee
- Posts: 4736
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:56 am
- Location: Laredo, TX
Re: Poetry Forms - the letter D
Whoops - Sounds like Daisy needs a towel! Very nicely done.
Re: Poetry Forms - the letters D & E
The letter D offering mainly categories we aren't attempting here (such as Dramatic Monologue), I will bridge over into the letter E with the Echo verse, as it directly relates to the use of "Diminishing verse".
Echo Verse is "any verse form written so the last part of the line...forms a response to the line, such as:
Do you love me? Me!
Do you love me not? Not!"
The more advanced of these will have the response words form their own separate poem that responds to the theme of the main one, like a poetic easter egg feature, which is really pretty cool.
The Diminishing verse is a variety of Echo verse, in which "a part of the repeated element is eliminated by pruning or rabbeting each time it reappears." (or whacking off part of the word ending the first line of the stanza to make new, shorter words in following ones).
Excerpt of an example, titled Paradise by George Herbert:
I bless thee, lord, because I grow
Among thy trees, which in a row
To thee both fruit and order owe.
What open force, or hidden charm
Can blast my fruit, or bring me harm,
While the inclosure in thine arm?
Inclose me still for fear I start.
Be to me rather sharp and tart,
Thank let me want thy hand and art.
Now, go play with it!
Echo Verse is "any verse form written so the last part of the line...forms a response to the line, such as:
Do you love me? Me!
Do you love me not? Not!"
The more advanced of these will have the response words form their own separate poem that responds to the theme of the main one, like a poetic easter egg feature, which is really pretty cool.
The Diminishing verse is a variety of Echo verse, in which "a part of the repeated element is eliminated by pruning or rabbeting each time it reappears." (or whacking off part of the word ending the first line of the stanza to make new, shorter words in following ones).
Excerpt of an example, titled Paradise by George Herbert:
I bless thee, lord, because I grow
Among thy trees, which in a row
To thee both fruit and order owe.
What open force, or hidden charm
Can blast my fruit, or bring me harm,
While the inclosure in thine arm?
Inclose me still for fear I start.
Be to me rather sharp and tart,
Thank let me want thy hand and art.
Now, go play with it!
- DoctorGamgee
- Posts: 4736
- Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:56 am
- Location: Laredo, TX
Re: Poetry Forms - the letters D & E
Lord Faramir with kindness sowed,
the seeds of gentleness he owed,
the price of Love; fair Eowyn to wed.
{is this what you mean?)
the seeds of gentleness he owed,
the price of Love; fair Eowyn to wed.
{is this what you mean?)
Proud father of G-minor and the Bean!
Re: Poetry Forms - the letters D & E
Oh, interesting! I hadn't considered the way truncating could produce a word that is pronounced differently enough that it works without rhyming. Very clever.