In the modern world of meter where the short-line seems much sweeter
than the longer, loping lines of heptametrical delight,
even rarer are the doubles for they tend to speak of troubles
at the mill or down the mine and make you feel you must recite.

But Mark, it's English not Greek you write. music of Shakespeare.
Tennyson laughed at these barbarous experiments.
Yes it is harder forced out of shape, O', classical parrot.
Greeks heard their tongue sound true, sweet,growing from usage.




[This message has been edited by Janet Kenny (edited November 27, 2006).]

But Janet, Lord Tennyson died long before I could show him my efforts,
and Mr Parnassus never mentioned barbarity on hearing this meter.
So why should the lucky ones knowing the original language of Homer
alone have the pleasure of reading his epics in dactylic rhythms?




[This message has been edited by Mark Allinson (edited November 27, 2006).]

(cooking--no time for grandeur)
The point is the rhythms were Greek and organic
they happened because far from being messianic
they fell from their lips in that shape very Greekishly
unlike the English who chant it all sheepishly ;)

Mr Parnassus wrote most of "Candide" you know
he and Dick Dawkins might well have agreed you know,
Wilbur is supple and wicked; economy
is what he writes with a masterly bonhomie.

The first villanelle I ever read was E.A. Robinson's "The House on the Hill." I didn't even know it was written in a recognized verse form. I thought it was magical. I've loved very few villanelles since, and in general I find the form boring.

On the other hand, I love ballades, and I don't think nearly enough of them are being written.