[Bards] Poetic Exercise #4

[Samuel E Orton]

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 21:14:52 EDT Fitzmorgan at aol.com writes:

>Exercise #4 asks you to write two stanza in the form know as "ballad". 
>
>It is iambic, as before (duh DUH duh DUH ...).  The first and third 
>line
>are iambic tetrameter (four feet) and the second and fourth line are
>iambic trimeter (three feet).  The second and fourth line should 
>rhyme. 
>To keep it just a little bit difficult, let's use nothing but perfect
>rhymes.  As for topic, write about a humorous situation.

	The first thing this made me think of was a chapter heading from
"Dune Messiah":

Here doth lie a toppled God,
His fall was not a small one.
We did but build his pedestal,
A narrow and a tall one.

		- Frank Herbert

Now, let's see if *I* can write something.

Back in the wondrous days of yore
A hero sailed away,
To gather glory, fame and wealth,
He went into the fray.

Across the many miles and years
He nevermore is seen.
But his voice is carried on the wind:
"Oh man, these guys are MEAN!"

		or...

The bard displeased the puissant Lord,
His Grace was unamused.
Those puns would cost the bard his head.
He'd no more be abused.

His Grace had won, lo, many wars,
'Gainst Frankish, Danes and Huns,
But he'll sleep no more, he's haunted now,
By horrid bardic puns.

			In Joyful Service,

				Iain MacCrimmon


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