Golliardic Verse

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German Verse

Goliardic Verse (Germanic verb to sing or entertain) was a popular verse of the Goliards, wandering scholars of the 12^th and 13^th century in rhymed and accented Latin. The form became linked with satire specifically, mockery of the Church.

The elements of Goliard Verse are:

1. syllabic, 13 syllable lines, in hemistiches of 6 and 7 syllables. Sometimes L4 is only 12 syllables.
2. stanzaic, written in any number of quatrains.
3. mono-rhymed, lines end in feminine rhyme. Rhyme scheme aaaa bbbb.

   Lament by Judi Van Gorder
   
   Mother Church serves the poor, it is one of her niches.
   Now she's been tested with threat to her riches
   from former wronged, altar boys becoming snitches,
   claiming clerics have strayed, unzipping their britches.

German and Austrian Poetic Forms:

• Bar Form
• Dinggedicht
• Golliardic Verse
• Knittelvers
• Minnesang
• Nibelungen
• Shuttelreim