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Pyrrhic What?!
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Pyrrhic What?! |
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AlCowie Member
since 2011-05-13
Posts 92London, UK |
I've been given an exercise to write a number of lines of iambic pentameters - using: pyrrhic substitutions, trochaic substitutions, and weak endings I'm not convinced I fully understand what I am doing, so I thought I'd post here to allow others to join in the exercise and comment on the results. Here goes! The moths are eating all my woolly jumpers They've already destroyed my favourite two Munching holes that'll make them that much plumper Like tiny flying cows, their cud to chew. My clothing is the picnic where they mate Champagne and strawberries, cream on top, divine With gusto they spread the blanket on the plate And raise to their lips a woolly glass of wine But I've nice clothing so that I get some Holier clothing doesn't work as well Making me look as if I'm from a slum A scruffy bit of rough, no pipistrell. For some bizarre reason the ladies desire tidy (Although they like a bit of rough sometimes!) Though my credentials are quite bonafide The holes contradict and they hear as the bell chimes So I've to springclean, open all my drawers Pull everything out, give it a good shake Extinct all the moths, kill them, this is war! Moth Spanish Armada? I'm Sir Francis Drake! I can draw it out in "d'Dums", but trying to work out which of each of these is which is the real test! Let's see. |
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AlCowie Member
since 2011-05-13
Posts 92London, UK |
So, I think what I've done is the below, but not sure which is pyrrhic or trochaic (weak endings I get) d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d' Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum d'Dum d'Dum Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d' d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum Dum d'd'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum Dum d'd'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum d'd'Dum d'd'Dum Dum d' d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d' d'Dum d'd'Dum d'd'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'd'Dum d'Dum d'Dum d'Dum |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
I'll check it when I get time, Al. I've never been a fan of Pyrric and think it is an invalid form. Take a pyrric followed by a long syllable and you have an anapest. Plus, having a completely unaccented foot makes little sense. I think Poe said it best, and he was the greatest master of form in history... "The pyrrhic is rightfully dismissed. Its existence in either ancient or modern rhythm is purely chimerical, and the insisting on so perplexing a nonentity as a foot of two short syllables, affords, perhaps, the best evidence of the gross irrationality and subservience to authority which characterise our Prosody." |
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AlCowie Member
since 2011-05-13
Posts 92London, UK |
Thanks Balladeer. I've doing exercises from an audiobook, so it is tricky to see exactly what is meant, whilst my "Poet's Manual and Rhyming Dictionary" (Frances Stillman) says the pyrrhic is a foreign form. In effect, are you saying that there is no difference between a pyrrhic and an anapest or just the a pyrrhic can be described in other ways that make more sense? Ignorance makes a man ask basic questions! |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Well, it's whatever you want, almost. FOllow it with an accented syllable and call it an anapest. Precede it by an accented syllable and you can call it a dactyl. By itself, it's basically nothing. A foot needs an accent somewhere. Pyrrics have none. I live on a hill near the lake. What do we have here? We have... i LIVE on a HILL near the LAKE. iamb+anapest+anapest or iamb+pyrric+dactyl+catalectic so why bother? That's Poe's point and I agree. |
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Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
A foot by any other name? Ok, that was lame, but I'm enjoying the exercise. Doc |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
You have a lame foot, doc?? Sorry to hear it.  |
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Alfonso New Member
since 2018-02-05
Posts 1 |
It's best to keep the mind on ideas instead of eter when writing poetry. After the ideas are written, then one can see whether the rhythm conforms to the chosen structure. If it can't be cast into a certain mold, then it is best written in free verse. Otherwise one might wind up sacrificing a beautiful concept for the sake of meter. |
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Bluesy Socrateaser Member Elite
since 2002-11-07
Posts 2417In The Mirror |
quote:I agree with you, Al. I wouldn't want to either. ...just bein' Bluesy |
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