The traditional Welsh poetic meters consist of 24 types of
poetic meter
In poetry, metre ( Commonwealth spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of ...
, called Y Pedwar Mesur ar Hugain in
Welsh. They are all written in
cynghanedd
In Welsh-language poetry, ''cynghanedd'' (, literally "harmony") is the basic concept of sound-arrangement within one line, using Stress (linguistics), stress, alliteration and rhyme. The various forms of ''cynghanedd'' show up in the definitions ...
of varying degrees of complexity.
Although called "traditional," they were compiled – and later redefined at least once – in the
Late Middle Ages
The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the Periodization, period of History of Europe, European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period ( ...
and omit some of the older forms such as the ''englyn milwr''. Only a few of them were widely used by the professional poets (''Beirdd yr Uchelwyr''), and the use of some of the more complicated ones is confined to
occasional poems of technical virtuosity dating to the end of the Middle Ages.
The twenty four traditional Welsh poetic meters are:
*Awdl-gywydd
*Byr-a-thoddaid
*Cadwynfyr
*Clogyrnach
*Cyhydedd Fer
*Cyhydedd Hir
*Cyhydedd Naw Ban
*Cyrch-a-chwta
*Cywydd Deuair Fyrion
*Cywydd Deuair Hirion: see
Cywydd
The cywydd (; plural ) is one of the most important metrical forms in traditional Welsh poetry ( cerdd dafod).
There are a variety of forms of the cywydd, but the word on its own is generally used to refer to the ("long-lined couplet") as it is ...
*Cywydd Llosgyrnog
*
Englyn Proest Cyfnewidiog
*
Englyn Proest Cadwynog
*
Englyn Unodl Crwca
*
Englyn Unodl Union
*Gorchest Beirdd
*Gwawdodyn Byr
*Gwawdodyn Hir
*Hir-a-thoddaid
*Rhupunt Byr
*Rhupunt Hir
*Rhupunt Hwyaf
*Tawddgyrch Cadwynog
*Toddaid
See also
*
Welsh poetry
Welsh poetry refers to poetry of the Welsh people or nation. This includes poetry written in Welsh, poetry written in English by Welsh or Wales-based poets, poetry written in Wales in other languages or poetry by Welsh poets around the world.
...
*
Welsh literature
Welsh literature is any literature originating from Wales or by Welsh writers:
*Welsh-language literature
Welsh-language literature () has been produced continuously since the emergence of Welsh from Brythonic as a distinct language in a ...
*
Eisteddfod
Notes
*
External links
Three examples of poetry using two of the poetic metersby Elizabeth Spencer Spragins
Medieval Welsh literature
Welsh-language literature
Welsh poetry
Poetic rhythm
{{Wales-stub