Cro Cumaisc Etir Casbairnde Ocus Lethrannaigecht

[Tinker]

Explore the Craft of Writing Poetry
Irish Verse Form.

The Cro Cumaisc Etir Casbairnde Ocus Lethrannaigecht is an ancient verse that alternates 3 syllable end words and single syllable end words.

The elements of the Cro Cumaisc Etir Casbairnde Ocus Lethrannaigecht are:

1. written in any number of quatrains,
2. syllabic, alternating lines of 5-7-5-7 syllables.
3. rhymed abab cdcd etc.
4. when L3 is written with a 2 syllable end word, the next line should rhyme internally. This is known as aicill rhyme.
5. L1 and L3 written with three-syllable end-words . Occasionally 2 syllable words are used.
6. written with cywddydd (harmony of sound) and dunadh (ending the poem with the same word, phrase or line with which the poem began)

   x x (x x a)
   x x x x x x b
   x x (x x a)
   x x x x x x b
   
   This week . . . by Barbara Hartman
   
   Safeway strawberries
   on sale, also JUMBO shrimp,
   green grapes, haw-berries,
   Shop today, no need to scrimp.
   
   Vine ripe tomatoes,
   Rancher's Reserve sirloin steaks,
   russet potatoes,
   Mott's apple juice, birthday cakes.
   
   Labeled Selected,
   store's best brands include green tea.
   Is beef infected?
   Chickens? Buy one, get one free.
   
   Where's the Cottonelle?
   tangelos are on display.
   Where's the muscatel?
   Stock up, SAVE BIG at Safeway.