Ae Freislighe

[Tinker]

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Ancient Irish Verse

Ae Freislighe

The Ae Freislighe (ay Frésh-lee) "lying down poetry" is bruilingeacht, a 7 syllable stanzaic form with alternating 3 syllable and 2 syllable end rhymes.

The elements of the Ae Freislighe are:

1. written in any number of quatrains,
2. syllabic, each line has 7 syllables.
3. alliterated, 2 word alliteration in each line.
4. terminated, L1 and L3 written with three-syllable end-words and L2 and L4 with two-syllable end-words.
5. rhymed abab cdcd etc.
6. written with the defining features of most Celtic poems, 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 (x x a)
   x x x x x (x b)
   x x x x (x x a)
   x x x x x (x b)

   Heavenly Timber by Judi Van Gorder
   
   Winging watch words prayerfully
   with deep dulcet tones clinging
   to each symbol carefully,
   a choir of angels' singing.