I need some ideas for a type of regional poetry...
- Thread starter KDLadage
- Start date
rbowman
First Post
The thing that pops out at me with the suggested sonar poems that, to me at least, adds an additional cool factor is this: As a warrior society in the past, I could see them using the poems as setting a rythm for marching, preparing for battle, victory, etc. All of these styles wouldn't be the one-sided style i.e a sending poem or a recieving poem, it would be both, with two participating sides.
The first side starts the sending pattern, with a recieving pattern following from the second side with each line:
1st 2nd
- A - - C - A
- C B - - C B
- - C A - C A
- - C - B - B
This can work for short "statements" or inspirational stanzas, kind of like a battle cry, or for longer epic recitals, with the sides alternating between sending and recieving:
1st 2nd
- A - - C - A
- C B - - C B
- - C A - C A
- - C - B - B
- - C A - C A
- C B - - C B
- A - - C - A
- C B - - C B
- - C A - C A
- - C - B - B
- - C A - C A
- C B - - C B
- A - - C - A
And so on. I hope this helps.
The first side starts the sending pattern, with a recieving pattern following from the second side with each line:
1st 2nd
- A - - C - A
- C B - - C B
- - C A - C A
- - C - B - B
This can work for short "statements" or inspirational stanzas, kind of like a battle cry, or for longer epic recitals, with the sides alternating between sending and recieving:
1st 2nd
- A - - C - A
- C B - - C B
- - C A - C A
- - C - B - B
- - C A - C A
- C B - - C B
- A - - C - A
- C B - - C B
- - C A - C A
- - C - B - B
- - C A - C A
- C B - - C B
- A - - C - A
And so on. I hope this helps.
KDLadage said:
No problem! I think it's awesome that you're developing this part of your world's cultures, as the standard D&D Bard is my biggest peeve with 3E. So much untapped potential..
My comments were just off the top of my head so if you have any specific questions on meter let me know. I was overzealous in college and learned entirely too much about this subject
. If you would benefit from some examples I can most likely swing that too.. working on quite the library of English/Latin/French poetry.
Maerdwyn
First Post
Not sure if this is a useful as they are not quite poems, but you might be interested in exploring Welsh Triads. Basically, they were used to easily call to mind the thousands of pieces of info bards had to remember, but they became an art form in their own right.
(from the above site)
Three Generous Men of the Island of Britain
Nudd the Generous, son of Senyllt,
Mordaf the Generous, son of Serwan,
Rhydderch the Generous, son of Tudwal Tudglyd.
And Arthur himself was more generous than the three.
Three Faithful War-Bands of the Island of Britain
The War-Band of Cadwallawn son of Cadfan, who were with him seven years in Ireland; and in all that time they did not ask him for anything, lest they should be compelled to leave him;
and the second, the War-Band of Gafran son of Aeddan, who went to sea for their lord;
and the third, the War-Band of Gwenddolau son of Ceidiaw at Ar(f)derydd, who continued the battle for a fortnight and a month after their lord was slain.
The number of the War-Band of each of those men was twenty-one hundred men.
(from the above site)
Three Generous Men of the Island of Britain
Nudd the Generous, son of Senyllt,
Mordaf the Generous, son of Serwan,
Rhydderch the Generous, son of Tudwal Tudglyd.
And Arthur himself was more generous than the three.
Three Faithful War-Bands of the Island of Britain
The War-Band of Cadwallawn son of Cadfan, who were with him seven years in Ireland; and in all that time they did not ask him for anything, lest they should be compelled to leave him;
and the second, the War-Band of Gafran son of Aeddan, who went to sea for their lord;
and the third, the War-Band of Gwenddolau son of Ceidiaw at Ar(f)derydd, who continued the battle for a fortnight and a month after their lord was slain.
The number of the War-Band of each of those men was twenty-one hundred men.
Dr. Strangemonkey
First Post
In line with Welsh Triads you might look at Medieval liturgical/pedagogical singing.
Medieval students were forced to sing everything in order to memorize it and I can see some sort of singing as being very nice for a sonar culture. I'm not certain what the lyrical requirements are, but I'm certain they are there.
Early early medieval hymns were the first rhyming poetry in Western Europe. Ambrose of Milan is sometimes credited with creating them, though he may also have been influenced by earlier Hebrew traditions of rhyming verse.
A heavily sonic culture might also count pauses as I imagine echolocation would make them very sensitive to moments of decreased sound or silence.
Certainly they would be very beat and rhythm oriented. Possibly also looking for words with flat or deep sounds in order to simulate navigating by echo. I'm not certain how you would do that in English. Perhaps long vowels versus short or annunciating both vowels in a double vowel unit like sound or deep and clipping the vowels in other syllables.
That would create a very cool accent too, btw.
Medieval students were forced to sing everything in order to memorize it and I can see some sort of singing as being very nice for a sonar culture. I'm not certain what the lyrical requirements are, but I'm certain they are there.
Early early medieval hymns were the first rhyming poetry in Western Europe. Ambrose of Milan is sometimes credited with creating them, though he may also have been influenced by earlier Hebrew traditions of rhyming verse.
A heavily sonic culture might also count pauses as I imagine echolocation would make them very sensitive to moments of decreased sound or silence.
Certainly they would be very beat and rhythm oriented. Possibly also looking for words with flat or deep sounds in order to simulate navigating by echo. I'm not certain how you would do that in English. Perhaps long vowels versus short or annunciating both vowels in a double vowel unit like sound or deep and clipping the vowels in other syllables.
That would create a very cool accent too, btw.
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