Cywydd [Cuh-with] Form, Wintery

Gold cherry

By Rhiannonw

Mon, 19 Nov 2018
  • 4158 reads
15 comments
 

Skies scythed by trees skeletal,
scene tired, dour, leafage scant, dull.
Frost sparkles, frozen snow specks
bite, prick cheeks, but parka checks
creeping cold, keep digits clad
– Sing warmth of blooms, Spring’s ballad.
Gardens’ proud garnered produce
stacked or jelled, squashed into juice.
Delayed dawn, daylight winds down.
Leafy mulch – fungal meltdown!
– fleecy warmth – wind-fall from trees:
seeds buried, deep-sleep beauties.

[IP this weekchoose a poetry form and write something within its strictures – have a go about writing about winter] 

The cywydd  [cuh-with (hard 'th' as in 'the']is one of the most important metrical forms in Welsh traditional poetry. It consists of a series of seven-syllable lines in rhyming couplets, with all lines written in cynghanedd. (complex alliteration rules see https://www.abctales.com/story/rhiannonw/english-englyn ) One of the lines must finish with a stressed syllable, while the other must finish with an unstressed syllable. The rhyme may vary from couplet to couplet, or may remain the same. There is no rule about how many couplets there must be. I found the stressed/unstressed rhyme scheme difficult, maybe it is actually easier in the Welsh language. Also attempts at something like cynghanedd is difficult, whose complex rules I have not sought to learn and follow. My sister says these lines have a slight sound of it. So, this is not actually totally by its strictures, especially as the language is incorrect!

 

Certificate U
Poem
Nature
Nature
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks for cherries, appreciated. I guess it does have an enjoyable flow, and the meaning reasonably clear then?  Rhiannon

 

Submitted by fatboy74 on

This is well deserving of cherries Rhiannon and today they are gold in colour. I've read this a few times now and can appreciate how difficult the form must have been to use and make the poem work as well as you have. Congratulations, this is our Facebook/Twitter pick of the day. 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, thanks, that's a very encouraging feedback and comment. And a thrill to be given POD too. Glad I persevered with it now, and wanted to investigate it, and try to share something of the form with those who don't know my other language! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Congratulations on a very clever move, Rhiannon. Your knowledge of Welsh poetic forms was obviously an advantage but the English adaption was done very skilfully. I always relish the competition but even before reading your excellent rendition I had realised that my own efforts were rather puny but could not judge their worth as criticism did not materialise. 

Well done, Luigi x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Luigi. This one worked, if a hard idea doesn't work it can look very bad!! I do prefer struggling with something short but complicated than trying long sagas, which is partly why I attempted this! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Well Done! The form you chose does sound very difficult, but you've made it look easy, The stress/unstress rhymes rule must have been so tricky. And you fitted in some of your brilliant alliteration - I really like "Skies scythed" and

"snow specks
bite, prick cheeks, but parka checks" sounds like teeth chattering!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I hadn't thought of that! Thanks, Di. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

That's really interesting Rhiannon, sounds like a challenge and you've added all the textures of nature. Beautiful to read.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I'm glad the content did come through, thanks Jane. It is always going to be a bit more obscure to read if you have an intense form, and one can get caught up in the mechanics and technical aspects and not 'have something to tell'. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

So much of Winter is described here in your poem Rhiannon.

Loved everything about it, especially in those first five lines, which summed up the season for me.

Thank you for sharing and congrats on the gold cherries, well deserved.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you very much, Jenny. Though wanting to explore the form (my Welsh is probably not strong enough for doing so in the language, and especially learning those very complex rules exactly) I wanted to make sure that I was saying something I wanted to say. Then the form is just another vehicle, and maybe helps to convey it in a new way to ears! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This IP is proving wildly successful - we will have to get Ewan to choose one every week! Congratulations on the well-earned golden cherries Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Insert. I don't think I'd like to attempt a difficult form too often! Especially to grasp it and try to use it 'usefully'. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by hilary west on

Loved the alliteration in this, it is very poetic. You were stalwart to try difficult poetic forms. It all worked out well for you !!!

Hilary     yes

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, HIlary very much. I do like strong alliteration when possible and useful, but this was a bit more concentrated than I would usually try. I'm glad it worked for you, and had a comprehensible meaning. Rhiannon