»
Main Forums
»
Poetry Workshop
»
It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a Double-Dactyl!!!
| Poetry Workshop |
|
It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a Double-Dactyl!!! |
|
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA 
|
A dactyl is a poetic foot of the form >-- (ON-off-off). For example, matador, realize, cereal, limerick, etc. A double dactyl can therefore mean simply two dactyls in a row. A double dactyl is also a verse form, also known as "higgledy piggledy," invented by Anthony Hecht and Paul Pascal in 1961. Like a limerick, it has a rigid structure and is usually humorous, but the double dactyl is considerably more rigid and difficult to write. There must be two stanzas, each comprising three lines of dactylic dimeter followed by a line with a dactyl and a single accent. The two stanzas have to rhyme on their last line. There is also a requirement for at least one line of the second stanza to be entirely one double dactyl word, for example "va-le-dic-tor-i-an". Ok, fearless students! Gimme a dactyl and make it a double! A eight-line poem with the first three lines of each stanza comprised of two dactyls back to back, and the fourth line containing one dactyl and a single sound. One of the double dactyl lines in the second stanza must be one word only. The first line can be gibberish, and often is, which is why it is referred to as "hggledy piggledy" verse. Other beginnings have been higggamus hoggamus, patty cake patty cake and hay-nonny, ho-nonny. Here's a couple of mine for examples... Passions is always a Place full of treasures where Thousands of poets have Come to reside. Pouring out feelings as Deep as a river runs Melodramatically Spill their insides. ..........or.............. Moose is a poet who Frequents these hallowed halls Writing grafitti to Make people smile. Thorn in the teacher's side Mainly on purpose he Over-emphatically Shows quite a style. |
||
| © Copyright 2008 Michael Mack - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
MOCindy Member
since 2008-07-30
Posts 73 |
Tiger in vinegar Souring his power when Softens his powerful Claws in his paw Gentleman’s dignity Soaring up ego to Meteorologist’s Point of her awe C tried one |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Thanks, Cindy! You got the double-dactyl construction down well. Not sure I understand most of the poem, though. Could you explain it to this dense mind? |
||
Alison 
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
Oh nooooooooo FEET!!! :: runs off waving arms hysterically :: |
||
Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Alison, Michael just has way too much on his hands, or I mean feet.  Good grief! |
||
|
MOCindy Member
since 2008-07-30
Posts 73 |
Dear sir Balladeer, That "poem" was mostly on words playing. But vinegar is related to "feminism", or other womanized character. Gentleman's dignity does grow his ego (a positive good.) or not? I may need a philosopher here. Thank you for the lesson on the new style.  |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
AHA! That's why I get a vinegar taste in my mouth when thinking of my ex-wife!  Thanks for clearing that up! |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Hey, Alison!!!  |
||
|
Prasad Nataraj Senior Member
since 2008-05-29
Posts 1149Bangalore,India |
Deer Sir, Here's my attempt. Please correct me if i am wrong, i don't know much about meter. Pride Higgledy-Piggledy Sad Julius Cesar, Had troubled dreams, Blood streams. Still Journeys through, Incontrovertibly, Ignoring the priest, With pride it seems. Prasad.N "Hardwork pays in the long run" |
||
|
chopsticks Senior Member
since 2007-10-02
Posts 888The US, |
“AHA! That's why I get a vinegar taste in my mouth when thinking of my ex-wife!” Balladeer, say that again and then say you didn’t mean it . Don’t ask Chopsticks to enlighten you. |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Prasad,I appreciate the attempt but for this exercise, a knowledge of meter is necessary. One of the types of meter used is the dactyl, which consists of an accented vowel followd by two unaccented ones. The hiddledy piggledy is a good example.....higg-led-y pigg-led-y. In your examples, the accented syllables are in bold... higg-led-y pigg-led-y sad Ju-li-us Ce-sar Had troub-led dreams Blood streams Still jour-neys through in-con-tro-ver-ti-bly Ig-noring the with pride it seems You should be able to see where the deviations are. Now, in this exercise, each of the first three lines in both stanzas must be comprised of two dactyls. Since a dactyl is comprised of three syllables (The first one accented followed by two unaccented), two dactyls, back to back, means each line must contain a total of six syllables. The last line in each stanza must be comprised of a dactyl, followed by a single sound, which means that these lines would contain a total of four syllables. If you go back to some of the earlier lessons, you will find several dealing with meter that may help you. Then come back and TRY AGAIN! |
||
|
MOCindy Member
since 2008-07-30
Posts 73 |
Dear Sir Balladeer, Chops was right. Vinegar also means jealousy/envy in intimate relationship. Esp, when in mouth. |
||
|
JenniferMaxwell
since 2006-09-14
Posts 2423 |
Lickety splickety Jenn’s off to Workshop to study the meaning of meter and feet. Tripping on dactyls, she stumbles and falls on her unteachability, sounds the retreat. Just kidding, can't get rid of me that easily! Bring on the triples! |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
hehe...you just prance in here, do the exercise perfectly.....who do you think you are? Dr. Moose??? Nicely done, Jenn. I'll have to see what I can come up with to challenge y'all a little bit more. |
||
|
JenniferMaxwell
since 2006-09-14
Posts 2423 |
It was a fun exercise, Balladeer, thanks for posting it, and harder than I thought it would be. Wasn’t sure about “unteachability”, exactly where the stresses came. Couldn’t find it in the dictionary. Just seemed like if you add “un” to a word, that changes the stress to the first syllable as in “Un Cola”. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Also, looked up the history of the word “dactyl”. That was fascinating and a little spicy if you read further on. Do I hear the sound of googling? Someone just sent me a copy of Betjeman’s “Myfanwy” written in lovely dactyls. Well worth reading so here’s the link. http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/show/6208-Sir-John-Betjeman-Myfanwy Longfellow uses dactyls in “Evangeline”, I think? Maybe hexameter, something extravagant like that? Good grief, hope you'd never expect...never mind, just keep googling! |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Unteachability worked well because, by that time, you had established a good rythym and preceded it with two unaccented and fairly tame syllables. The only problem I initially had was with the first line of "Jenn's off to workshop". I had the inclination to read it as jenn's OFF to WORKshop but, after having read the rest of the piece I could go back and see see it as JENN'S off to WORKshop, which is dactylically proper. I think the possibility of confusion came with the word "off", which is a fairly strong word. Perhaps something like "Jenn heads to workshop" would alleviate that situation.At any rate, it's fine the way it is. Yes, many memorable pieces have been written in dyctalic verse and it has been a useful tool used by the big guys (and gals). |
||
|
moonbeam
since 2005-12-24
Posts 2356 |
Lyrical miracle Ronald Carnellian, Passionate poster of verse true and wise. Soon to be, doomed to be Octogenarian, Will the blue pages out live his demise!? |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Nothing less than perfect, moonbeam! Brilliantly done  |
||
|
moonbeam
since 2005-12-24
Posts 2356 |
You are very kind. Thanks Mike. |
||
|
Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
Balladeer makes it clear poets at Passions steer tortuous corridors that they might learn. Bumble-ing stumble-ing to myself mumble-ing "waddayaboddafor?" at every turn. But he's a glutton for punishment either or double-didactically preoccupied. As evidenced by this borderline ludicris overgrammatical piece but I tried Three for the price of one this is just too much fun laughing hysterically. Dactyllic feet dancing to different drums daring to vary some "per-Fred-Astaire-ically" down dactyl street |
||
|
ananagram New Member
since 2009-05-10
Posts 1 |
More than a little bit late to the party, but Neverthelesslessly I had a go! ------- I like to write this stuff While sitting comfortably Very enjoyably Plonked on my bum. It took me minutes to Come up with this word here; Satisfactorily. And it was fun! |
||
|
Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
ananagram, Lol, nice entrance. Welcome to Passions, I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay. Doc |
||
|
playing.with.crayons Member
since 2006-01-02
Posts 362Neverland |
How very tellingly I saw you merrily Hopping and bopping Down memory lane Skipping along the street Under a cotton sheet Uncategorically Back and again I asked delightedly Why you decidedly Looked unrequitedly Back and again There you replied to me Grinning emphatically “Never will I do Double dactyls again!” --Late and imperfect but that's how I roll. *grin* -Cheye |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Yep, I'm sure you can see all of the errors in this one but you gave it a shot...roll on. |
||
|
rachaelfuchsberger
since 2007-02-21
Posts 609Las Vegas, NV |
Ok....ignorance is decidedly NOT bliss. Can someone please explain to me what a dactyl is in poetry? Arana Darkwolf |
||
|
Klassy Lassy Member Elite
since 2005-06-28
Posts 2187Oregon |
I'm just a visitor rhyming inquisitor smiling at rainbows and feet Flashing in stripes pulsing delight little heart kisses that beat A tom-tom surprise for Alison's eyes Balladeer's message complete LOL! That was cute. I doubt I did the exercise right, though. ~KL |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
That's good, Lassy! You didn't follow the form in the last lines but everything else was right on....nice to see you here! |
||
|
Alison
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
You got me laughing .. I love this. A |
||
|
rachaelfuchsberger
since 2007-02-21
Posts 609Las Vegas, NV |
Thanks to the encouragement of the good Sir Balladeer, I have answered my own question. Dactyl: A metrical foot of three syllables, one long (or stressed) followed by two short (or unstressed), as in happily. The dactyl is the reverse of the anapest. Arana Darkwolf |
||
|
Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Well, leave it up to this 'fallen angel' to come up with a naughty double-dactyl. Hmm,I suppose that the sexy-sounding terms "double-dactyl" and "higgledy piggledy" put me in a naughty frame of mind!  Pleasure Seekers Tinctures and potions can Heighten one’s pleasure so Passionate lovers seek My special brew. Doling out favours for My special clients can Satisfy me and I’m Sure it will you! LLD |
||
|
Marc-Andre Senior Member
since 2008-12-07
Posts 501 |
Hickeldy-piggledy Kittenish Valerie’s Silicone surgery Set me on fire; Coveting sodomy Anaprhodisiacally Her own erection would Quench my desire. |
||
|
Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
MA ~ Mine might have been naughty but your's makes mind sound rather demure! lol |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
