Gwenllian's Poetry Primer

 In describing the structures of the 24 traditional forms, I will use the following system to avoid long, convoluted descriptions of each line:
 
 

• The syllables in each line will be represented by asterisks (*), one asterisk per syllable.
• Rhyme schemes will be indicated by letters. Capital letters represent full rhyme between two syllables (e.g. * * * * * * * A followed by * * * * * * * A would mean two lines of eight syllables each whose final lines rhyme). Lowercase letters indicate half-rhyme, defined below.

 Englynion (englyns)
Cywyddau (cywydd measures)
Awdl measures (odes)

 Before I get into the details of the different forms, there's one structure that appears often that it'll be easier to clarify here. It's called the gair cyrch, and looks like this:

 * * * * * * A * * *

 The position of the A-rhyme in the first line can vary; it will be the seventh, eighth, or ninth syllable. The syllables after the A-rhyme are the gair cyrch.

 When the gair cyrch appears in a poem's structure, I will, rather than repeating the explanation above, simply put gair cyrch.

Englynion

1. Englyn penfyr (short-ended englyn)
2. Englyn milwr (the soldier's englyn)
3. Englyn unodl union (straight one-rhymed englyn)
4. Englyn unodl crwc (crooked one-rhyme englyn)
5. Englyn cyrch
6. Englyn proest dalgron
7. Englyn lleddfbroest
8. Englyn proest gadwynog

1. Englyn penfyr

 

 

gair cyrch

* * * B * * A (1)
* * * * * * A

 (1) - In this line, B represents either rhyme or consonantal correspondence with the last syllable of the gair cyrch.
 
 

2. Englyn milwr

 

 

Three seven-syllable lines, all rhyming.

 

 

3. Englyn unodl union

 

 

gair cyrch

* * * * * A
* * * * * * A
* * * * * * A
 
 

4. Englyn unodl crwc

 

 

* * * * * * A

* * * * * * A
gair cyrch
* * * * * A

 Note that this form is identical to the previous one, with the first and second couplets reversed.
 
 

5. Englyn cyrch

 

 

* * * * * * A

* * * * * * A
* * * * * * B
* * B * * * A (B could shift position slightly -- it could be the second or fourth syllable, for example.)
 
 

• Of the final vowel and consonant in a word, only one of the two corresponds to that in another word. The vowel may be the same and the consonant different, or vice versa.
• Long vowels only half-rhyme with long vowels, and short with short. In English, "mode" half-rhymes with "speed" but not with "bid."
• Welsh diphthongs are divided into two groups. The diphthongs within any one group half-rhyme with each other, but not with those in the other group. The first group includes the diphthongs ae, oe, wy, ei, and ai. The second includes aw, ew, iw, ow, yw. (See the appendix for pronunciation.) Thus, "llwyn" half-rhymes with "drain" but not with "dewn." In English, "toy" half-rhymes with "way" and "too" with "see."

6. Englyn proest dalgron

 

 

In this form, the rhymes are formed by vowels of the same length or by vowels of the same length followed by a consonant or the vowel w (long oo in English). It consists of four seven-syllable lines that half-rhyme with one another.

 

 

7. Englyn lleddfbroest

 

 

This form is identical to the previous one, except that the four half-rhymes must be the diphthongs ae, oe, wy, and ei.

 

 

8. Englyn proest gadwynog (cadwyn=chain)

 

 

* * * * * * A

* * * * * * a
* * * * * * A
* * * * * * a

 (Remember that lowercase letters indicate half-rhyme and uppercase letters full rhyme.)
 
 

Cywydd Measures

 There are four cywydd measures:

9. Awdl gywydd
10. Cywydd deuair hirion (long-lined couplet)
11. Cywydd deuair fyrion (short-lined couplet)
12. Cywydd llosgyrnog

9. Awdl gywydd

 

 

* * * * * * A

* * A * * * B (A could shift position slightly)
* * * * * * C
* * C * * * B (B could shift position slightly)
 
 

10. Cywydd deuair hirion

 

 

In this form, the rhyming syllables traditionally alternate between stressed and unstressed (so "dress" and "brightness" might end two consecutive lines). The form consists of seven-syllable rhymed couplets.

 

 

11. Cywydd deuair fyrion

 

 

This form is very rarely seen outside manuals. It consists of four- syllable rhymed couplets.

 

 

12. Cywydd llosgyrnog

 

 

* * * * * * * A

* * * * * * * A
* * A * * * B (A could shift position slightly)
* * * * * * * C
* * * * * * * C
* * C * * * B (C could shift position slightly)
 
 

Awdl Measures (Odes)

13. Rhupunt
14. Cyhydedd fer (short equivalence)
15. Byr a thoddaid
16. Clogyrnach
17. Cyhydedd Naw Ban
18. Cyhydedd Hir
19. Toddaid
20. Gwawdodyn
21. Gwawdodyn hir
22. Hir a thoddaid
23. Cyrch a chwta
24. Tawddgyrch cadwynog

13. Rhupunt

 

 

* * * A * * * A (* * * A) (* * * A) * * * B

* * * C * * * C (* * * C) (* * * C) * * * B

 Each line can have three, four, or five sections. The lines are sometimes broken up so that each section appears on its own written line.
 
 

14. Cyhydedd fer (short equivalence)

 

 

Consists of rhymed couplets using eight-syllable lines.

 

 

15. Byr a thoddaid

 

 

This form is composed of two pieces, a cyhydedd fer (see above) and a toddaid byr. They can come in either order. This is the toddaid byr pattern:

gair cyrch
* * B * * A (B can be either alliteration or rhyme with the last syllable of the gair cyrch)
 
 

16. Clogyrnach

 

 

* * * * * * * A

* * * * * * * A
* * * * B
* * * * B * * B * * A
 
 

17. Cyhydedd Naw Ban

 

 

This form consists of rhymed couplets of nine-syllable lines. Poems in this form often have lengthy sequences without a change of rhyme.

 

 

18. Cyhydedd Hir

 

 

* * * * A

* * * * A
* * * * A * * * B
* * * * C
* * * * C
* * * * C * * * B
 
 

19. Toddaid

 

 

gair cyrch

* * * B * * * * A (B rhymes with the last syllable of the gair cyrch)

 This form was generally used in conjunction with other forms, particularly the cyhydedd naw ban and the cyhydedd hir.
 
 

20. Gwawdodyn

 

 

* * * * * * * * A

* * * * * * * * A
gair cyrch
* * * * B * * * A (B rhymes with last syllable of gair cyrch, and can shift position slightly)
 
 

21. Gwawdodyn hir

 

 

This is the same as the gwawydodyn, except that there is more than one nine-syllable couplet before the gair cyrch.

 

 

22. Hir a thoddaid

 

 

This form consists of four ten-syllable lines, all rhyming the same, followed by a toddaid:

* * * * * * * * * A
* * * * * * * * * A
* * * * * * * * * A
* * * * * * * * * A
gair cyrch (where the A-rhyme in the gair cyrch is the same as in the preceding four lines)
* * * * B * * * A (B can shift position slightly)
 
 

23. Cyrch a chwta

 

 

* * * * * * A

* * * * * * A
* * * * * * A
* * * * * * A
* * * * * * A
* * * * * * A
* * * * * * B
* * B * * * A (B can shift position slightly)

 This form is thought to be Einion Offeiriad's invention, and was never much used.

24. Tawddgyrch cadwynog

 

 

* * * A * * * B

* * * B * * * C
* * * A * * * B
* * * B * * * C
 
 

 If there's anything you think I could do to make this clearer, please let me know.