[Michael Juster]

I'm teaching (on short notice) an upper level course at Emerson College next semester on form in poetry, and have been asked to revamp the curriculum as well. I'm making OK progress (and many Eratosphereans are in the draft curriculum), but would like to solicit help on the subject of accentual verse. In particular, I'm looking for interesting examples of nursery rhymes with strong rhythms that do not utilize iambic or anapestic meters.
Thanks in advance!

[Susan McLean]

Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
stole a pig and away he run.

[Carol Taylor]

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep has an interesting rhythm. I'd call it mainly dactyllic or trochaic with a lot of substitution including monosyllabic feet, but it's not accentual by my definition. I can't think of any nursery rhymes I would call strictly accentual, because they all have such a pronounced and regular beat whether there are one or two or three syllables in any given foot.

Carol

[RCL]

Mike, check here for discussion and examples:
http://www.danagioia.net/essays/eaccentual.htm

Cheers,

------------------
Ralph

[Michael Juster]

Ooh, that's a good one! I didn't even know old Dana had a web site!

[Tim Murphy]

Actually, Chriss Yost has a website where Dana stars.

[Janet Kenny]

Ding dong bell, pussy's in the well
Who put her in? Little Tommy Thin.
Who pulled her out? Little Johnny Stout
What a naughty boy was that, to drown poor Pussycat,
Who ne'er did any harm
But killed all the mice in the Farmer's barn!



[This message has been edited by Janet Kenny (edited December 05, 2004).]

[Carol Taylor]

Janet, I learned it this way. Nursery rhymes are nothing if not sing-song:

What a naughty boy was that
to drown a little pussy cat
who'd never done him any harm
but killed the mice in the farmer's barn?

Carol

[Kevin Andrew Murphy]

Curly Locks, Curly Locks,
Will you be mine?
You shall not wash dishes,
Nor feed the swine,
But sit on a cushion
And sew a fine seam,
And sup upon strawberries,
Sugar, and cream.

Many other can be found here:

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pfa/d...ry/rhymes.html

[Janet Kenny]

[Carol wrote:
Janet, I learned it this way. Nursery rhymes are nothing if not sing-song:

What a naughty boy was that
to drown a little pussy cat
who'd never done him any harm
but killed the mice in the farmer's barn?

Carol,
I learned the version of Ding dong bell with the strange off beat rhythm of "to DROWN POOR PUssy CAT--". It fascinated me when I was a child. It wasn't sing-song. I suppose it prepared me for even stranger rhythms later on. (This message disappeared as I typed. Sorry about all the typos.)
Janet



[This message has been edited by Janet Kenny (edited December 07, 2004).]