Rannaighheacht and Its Variations .

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Ancient Irish Verse Form

Rannaighheacht and its variations: rann is the Celtic word for 4 line stanza. All of the following Irish "versification" variations are written with the defining features of most ancient Irish verse forms, cywddydd (harmony of sound) and dunadh (beginning and ending the poem with the same word, phrase or line.

In addition:

• Rannaighheacht (versificatation) is bruilingeacht, a kind of junior dán díreach, its elements are:
  1. written in any number of quatrains,
  2. syllabic, each line has 7 syllables.
  3. alliterated, 2 word alliteration in each line.
  4. rhymed aAbA cCdC etc 
  5. end words of L1, L2 and L4 consonate, (The same last consonant at the end of the line.) , L2 & L4 are true rhyme.
  6. the end word of L3 should be 2 syllables and is aicil rhyme, rhyming internally somewhere in the first half of L4.
     x x x x x x a
     x x x x x x A
     x x x x x (x b)
     x x b x x x A
      
• Rannaigheacht bheag (ron ayah voig)(little verse), the elements are:
  1. written in any number of quatrains.
  2. syllabic 8-6-8-6.
  3. alliterated, 2 word alliteration in each line.
  4. end words are all 2 syllable words and should consonate (same last consonant at end of the line, which is pretty impossible in English).
  5. written with the end word of L4 alliterates with the previous stressed word.
  6. written with internal rhyme and aicill rhyme The internal rhyme of the 1^st couplet can consonate rather than rhyme, but the aicill rhyme of the 2^nd couplet must be true rhyme.
     D x x x b x (x a)
     x x a (x B)
     x b x x x x (x a)
     x a x x (x B)
     
     x x x x d x (x c)
     x x c (x d)
     x d x x x x (x c)
     x c x x (x D)
     
     Improvising by Barbara Hartman
     
     Cooking by the book seems safer,
     but look, let's try something
     different. Dice up lean sausage,
     throw in sliced green scallions,
     
     sage, cilantro, chiles, chicken
     broth, bay, dill, canned chick-peas,
     swiss chard, celery, salt, charqui.
     Christen with chilled Chablis.
     
     It's like writing rhyming couplets,
     coupling sounds with content;
     stir, simmer, baste, add more commas,
     taste my Cajun cooking.
      
• Rannaicheacht Ghairid (ron-a'yach cha'r-rid) (versification with "clipped" or shortened line) is a little simpler than above, the elements are:
  1. written in any number of quatrains with uneven lines.
  2. syllabic 3-7-7-7.
  3. alliterated, 2 word alliteration in each line.
  4. rhymed a a b a, with the end word of L3 internally rhymed in the first half or L4.
     x x a
     x x x x x x a
     x x x x x x b
     x x b x x x a. (internal rhyme may be in any position within the line)
     
     Ring of Love by Barbara Hartman & Judi Van Gorder
     
     Sparrows swing
     on sunflower stems to wring
     last seeds that cling to dead heads.
     Summer sheds while sparrows sing.
     
     Maiden weds,
     that night the young groom beds
     his love with tender touch. Glows,
     pleased he sews blood upon threads.
     
     True love grows,
     this fair knight and maid's life shows
     summer love can thrive in spring
     blessed by a ring of sparrows.
      
• Rannaicheacht Mhor (ron-a'yach voor) (the great versification), its elements are:
  1. written in any number of quatrains,
  2. syllabic, each line has 7 syllables.
  3. alliterated, 2 word alliteration in each line.
  4. consonating rhyme abab.
  5. the end words rhymed internally in opposite lines of each couplet.
  6. final word of L3 rhymes with a word in the middle of L4.
  7. written with the end word of L4 alliterating with the preceding word.
     x x x x b x a
     x x x a x x b
     x b x x x x a
     x x a x x x b
     
     Happy Hour by Barbara Hartman
     
     April evenings lure hungry
     epicures to favorite
     tables where couples hunker,
     getting drunk on strong spirits.
     
     Small family groups inspect
     sweet soups of alfalfa sprouts,
     nibble leafy greens, all decked
     out in jeans for walkabouts.
     
     They hop from one salad bar
     to another, stop to kiss,
     play tag until sharp barks mar
     larks of bacchanalian bliss.
     
     Banquet tables overturn,
     tipplers run away downhill,
     discerning diners adjourn.
     Rabbits yearn, applaud April.
      
• Rannaicheacht Mhor Gairit (great versification with "clipped" or shortened line), the elements are:
  1. written in any number of quatrains.
  2. syllabic 3-7-7-7.
  3. alliterated, 2 word alliteration in each line.
  4. rhymed, rhyme scheme aaba ccdc etc.
  5. if L3 ends in a 2 syllable word, aicill rhyme is employed and the end word of L3 rhymes internally in L4.
     x x a
     x x x x x x a
     x x x x x (x b)
     x x b x x x a
     
     x x c
     x x x x x x c
     x x x x x (x d)
     x x d x x x c
     Squatters by Barbara Hartman
     
     Prairie dogs
     carry on shrill dialogues
     outside apartment housing
     grumpy, grousing demagogues.
     
     They moved in
     last summer with all their kin,
     dug tunnels in our pasture
     cool, cocksure, they always win.
     
     All agog,
     hungry rodents eat like hogs,
     while poor farmers rue the day
     God created prairie dogs.
      
• Rannaicheacht, randaigecht chethar-chubaid garit rocamarcach,the elements are:
  1. a Rannaicheacht (versification) gharid (clipped) with two-syllable end words. (chethar-chubaid)
  2. written in any number of quatrains.
  3. syllabic 3-7-7-7..
  4. alliterated, 2 word alliteration in each line.
  5. written with aicill rhyme, the end word of L3 internally rhymes with L4.
  6. written with the defining features of all ancient Celtic forms, cywdydd and dunadh.
     x (x a)
     x x x x x (x a)
     x x x x x (x B)
     x x bx x (x a)
     RANNAICHEACHT, et al by Mike Montreuil
     
     Full, maybe
     of life and love for thee
     but, unaware of deceit
     that will eat all you foresee.
     
     Us, alone.
     Impossible to atone
     mistakes made at a gallop
     that have dropped into brimstone.