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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Cro Cumaisc Etir Casbairdni Ocus Lethrannaigecht

Cro Cumaisc Etir Casbairdni Ocus Lethrannaigecht
This is an Irish verse form. The name means "Sorry, the translator can't take your call at the moment". No, I'm kidding. I have no idea what it means, and not much idea how to pronounce it, though I expect there will be a few "v" sounds in there somewhere. I chose to tackle it because it had the longest name of any in Skelton's book.
The form calls for 4-line stanzas rhyming abab, with syllable counts of 7, 5, 7, 5. Being Irish, the lengths of the rhyming words are also specified, in this case as 3, 1, 3, 1. Note though that the 3's don't necessarily indicate triple rhymes; the requirement is simply that the rhyming words are three syllables long. The stress could be on any of the three syllables.
This example was provoked (I hesitate to say inspired) by the "MP's expenses" scandal/hysteria of 2009. It amounts to propaganda for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, a long-established and respected force in British politics. At the time of the 1983 general election, when party splits were fashionable, there was a rival group called the Green Chicken Alliance.


Thanks to Bob Newman for his wonderful Volecentral resource site

My Example Poem

Suave     (Cro Cumaisc Etir Casbairdni Ocus Lethrannaigecht)

The man was not a millionaire
but ladies sought him out
for he appeared most debonair
and kind without a doubt.

He was at all times affable
with handshake or a hug,
and the idea was laughable
to picture him as smug.

His notions all seemed prevalent
well thought out and germane,
considered and most relevant
and certainly urbane.

He has a style to emulate,
a model for my role.
I'll have a cause to celebrate
If I achieve that goal.

© Lawrencealot - April 10, 2014

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