Poetry Challenge—Introducing the Englyn: Form 3—the Englyn Unodl Union
An englyn is a form of Welsh or Cornish verse, with a reputation of being hard to master. It has several different variants, all of which are governed by strict rules. This week, we’ll look at the englyn unodl union. The englyn unodl union consists of a four-line verse. The first line has ten syllables, the second has six, and the third and fourth lines have seven. The rhyme is introduced in the seventh, eighth or ninth syllable of the first line, and repeated at the end of the second, third and fourth lines. The first syllable after the rhyme in the first line rhymes with the first part of the second line. Once again, I’ve chosen to make a longer poem from several verses that follow these rules. The Troll Lord Cometh The troll lord cometh through the pre-dawn gloam Roaming from the bridge, he mourns, night-time’s loss, the coming dawn, hides within his lair forlorn. When dusk shrouds the world in soft black and grey Away from the shadows, back, Back away, ...