CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

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 a variant insisted on by novelist Robertson Davies. Davies insisted that the englyn must have four lines. The first line should have 10 syllables, the second should have 6, and the last two lines should have 7 syllables each. His form also states that there must be a break after the seventh, eighth OR ninth syllable, and that this is where the rhyme is introduced. The second line rhymes with the break, and the last syllable of the first line must be linked by either rhyme or assonance with the 3rd or 4th syllable of the second line. The third and fourth lines must rhyme on a weak syllable and must rhyme with the rhyme in the first line—very similar to the first form of englyn. The Troll Queen She stands beneath the ancient-most bridges where there lingers bones lost She defies al...

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 proest cadwynog. The englyn proest cadwynog consists of a four-line verse. Each line has seven syllables. The first and third lines rhyme and the second and fourth lines half rhyme on the same vowel sound as the first and third lines. The Troll Lord’s Queen The troll lord’s queen came stalking Set beasts and babies bawling into the darkness walking Behind her alarms calling We followed her through night dark We followed her to sun start We followed her to lair dark And then tore her world apart Why don’t you give it a try? Try writing at least one englyn proest cadwynog for each day of the week. You can find out more about how to write englyns from the following sites: http://www.volecentral.co.uk/vf/englyn.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englyn ...