Editing Englyn

{{short description|Traditional Welsh short poem form}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{lang|cy|Englyn|nocat=y}}}}
[[File:Eglwys Crist, y Bala Christ Church, Bala, Gwynedd North Wales 24.JPG|thumb|An {{lang|cy|englyn}} on a gravestone in [[Christ Church, Bala]]:
<div style="float: left; width: 15em; margin-top: 0.3em; margin-right: 0.3em;">
{{Lang|cy|Price anwyl, pur ei wasanaeth diwyd<br/>
Eang ei wybodaeth;<br/>
Gwr o aspri, ffri a ffraeth,<br/>
A thrwyadl mewn athrawiaeth.}}</div>
<div style="float: left; width: 15em; margin-top: 0.3em;">
Dear Price, pure in his diligent service<br/>
Wide in his knowledge;<br/>
A man acerbic, fearless and fluent,<br/>
And thorough in doctrine.</div>]]
'''{{lang|cy|Englyn}}''' ({{IPA|cy|ˈɛŋ.lɪn|pron}}; plural {{lang|cy|englynion}}) is a traditional [[Welsh language|Welsh]] short [[poetry|poem]] form. It uses [[Meter (poetry)|quantitative metres]], involving the counting of [[syllable]]s, and rigid patterns of [[rhyme]] and [[half rhyme]]. Each line contains a repeating pattern of consonants and accent known as {{lang|cy|[[cynghanedd]]}}.

==Early history==

The {{lang|cy|englyn}} is found in the work of the earliest attested Welsh poets (the {{lang|cy|[[cynfeirdd]]}}), where the main types are the three-line {{lang|cy|englyn milwr}} and {{lang|cy|englyn penfyr}}.<ref>Rowland, Jenny, ''Early Welsh Saga Poetry: A Study and Edition of the ''Englynion (Cambridge: Brewer, 1990), p. 305.</ref> It is the only set stanzaic metre found in the early Welsh poetic corpus, and explanations for its origins have tended to focus on stanzaic Latin poetry and hymns; however, it is as likely to be a development within the Brittonic poetic tradition.<ref>Rowland, Jenny, ''Early Welsh Saga Poetry: A Study and Edition of the ''Englynion (Cambridge: Brewer, 1990), pp. 305-8.</ref> Whereas the metrical rules of later {{lang|cy|englynion}} are clear (and are based on counting syllables), the precise metre of the early {{lang|cy|englynion}} is debated and could have involved stress-counting.<ref>Rowland, Jenny, ''Early Welsh Saga Poetry: A Study and Edition of the ''Englynion (Cambridge: Brewer, 1990), pp. 308-32.</ref> The earliest {{lang|cy|englynion}} are found as [[marginalia]] written in a tenth-century hand in the [[Juvencus Manuscript]].<ref>''A Selection of Early Welsh Saga Poems'', ed. by Jenny Rowland (London: Modern Humanities Research Association, 2014), p. xxvi.</ref> Many early {{lang|cy|englynion}} form poems which seem to represent moments of characters' emotional reflection in stories now lost: {{lang|cy|[[Canu Llywarch Hen]]}}, {{lang|cy|[[Canu Urien]]}}, {{lang|cy|[[Canu Heledd]]}}. Others survey heroic tradition, for example the {{lang|cy|[[Englynion y Beddau]]}} or ''[[Geraint son of Erbin]]'', and others again are lyric, religious meditations and laments such as the famous {{lang|cy|[[Claf Abercuawg]]}} and {{lang|cy|[[Kyntaw geir]]}}.

== Types of {{lang|cy|englynion}}==

There are a number of types of {{lang|cy|englynion}}. Details of their structures are as follows; not all of these, however, are included in the [[Traditional Welsh poetic metres]].

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn penfyr}} ===

Also known as "the short-ended {{lang|cy|englyn}}". It consists of a stanza of three lines. The first line has ten syllables (in two groups of five), the second has five to six; and the third has seven. The seventh, eighth or ninth syllable of the first line introduces the rhyme and this is repeated on the last syllable of the other two lines. The fourth syllable of the second line may echo the final syllable of the first through either rhyme or [[Literary consonance|consonance]].
{{quote|1=<poem>{{lang|cy|Oer gwly pysgawd yng nghysg'''awd''' iäen;
Cul hydd, cawn barf'''awd''';
Byr diwedydd, gwŷdd gwyr'''awd'''.<ref name=":0">''[[iarchive:oxfordbookofwels00parr|The Oxford Book of Welsh Verse]]'', ed. by Thomas Parry (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1962).</ref>{{rp|17}} }}</poem>}}

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn unodl union}} ===
The "straight one-rhymed {{lang|cy|englyn}}", identical to {{lang|cy|englyn penfyr}} except that it adds a fourth, rhyming, seven-syllable line at the end. Thus it consists of four lines of ten, six, seven and seven syllables. The seventh, eighth or ninth syllable of the first line introduces the rhyme and this is repeated on the last syllable of the other three lines. The part of the first line after the rhyme alliterates with the first part of the second line.

This is an {{lang|cy|englyn unodl union}} by Alan Llwyd:

{{quote|1=<poem>{{lang|cy|Ym Mhorth oer y Merthyr'''on''' – y merthyr
Mwya'i werth o ddig'''on'''
A hir-fawrha y fro h'''on'''
Wr dewr o Aberdar'''on'''}}</poem>}}

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn milwr}} ===

The "soldier's {{lang|cy|englyn}}". This consists of three seven-syllable lines. All three lines rhyme.
{{quote|1=<poem>{{lang|cy|Otid eiry, gwyn y cn'''es''';
Nid â cedwyr i'w neg'''es''';
Oer llynnau, eu lliw heb d'''es'''.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|17}} }}</poem>}}

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn gwastad}} ===
The "even {{lang|cy|englyn}}", more common in the Middle Ages than later. This consists of four seven-syllable lines. All four lines rhyme. One example (showing the half-rhyme of {{lang|cy|-edd}} with {{lang|cy|-er}}) is:
{{quote|1=<poem>{{lang|cy|Cyntefin ceinaf ams'''er''',
Dydar adar, glas call'''edd''',
Ereidr yn rhych, ych yng ngw'''edd''',
Gwyrdd môr, brithotor tir'''edd'''.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|16}} }}</poem>}}

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn byr crwca}} ===
The "short crooked {{lang|cy|englyn}}". This is like {{lang|cy|englyn penfyr}}, but orders the lines differently: seven syllables in the first, ten syllables (in two groups of five) in the second, and five to six syllables in the third. In the following example, the second line does not participate in the rhyme:
{{quote|1=<poem>{{lang|cy|Ton tra thon toid tu t'''ir''';
Goruchel gwaeddau rhag bron bannau bre;
Braidd allan orsef'''ir'''.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|17}} }}</poem>}}

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn unodl crwca}} ===

The "crooked one-rhyme {{lang|cy|englyn}}". This {{lang|cy|englyn}} is like {{lang|cy|englyn byr crwca}}, except that it adds an extra seven-syllable line at the beginning. This is made up of four lines of seven, seven, ten and six syllables. The last syllables of the first, second and last lines and the seventh, eighth or ninth syllable of the third line all rhyme.

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn cyrch}} ===

The "seeking {{lang|cy|englyn}}". This form has four lines of seven syllables each. The final syllables of the first, second, and last line rhyme. The final syllable of the third line rhymes with the second, third or fourth syllable of the last line:
{{quote|1=<poem>{{lang|cy|Caradawg fab Cedif'''or''',
Gwalch byddin gwerin gor'''or''',
Hebawg teulu cu ceinm<u>yn</u>,
Anawdd genn<u>yn</u> dy hepg'''or'''.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|30}} }}</poem>}}

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn proest dalgron}} ===

In this {{lang|cy|englyn}}, there are four seven-syllable lines that half-rhyme with each other (half-rhyme means that the final consonants agree).
{{quote|1=<poem>{{lang|cy|Adeiliwyd bedd, gwedd gwiwd'''er''',
F'enaid, i'th gylch o fyn'''or''':
Adeiliawdd cof dy al'''ar'''
I'm calon ddilon ddol'''ur'''.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|50}} }}</poem>}}

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn lleddfbroest}} ===

This is identical to the {{lang|cy|englyn proest dalgron}} except that the half rhymes must use the {{lang|cy|ae}}, {{lang|cy|oe}}, {{lang|cy|wy}}, and {{lang|cy|ei}} [[diphthongs]].

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn proest cadwynog}} ===

The "[[chain rhyme|chain half-rhyme]] {{lang|cy|englyn}}". In this version there are four lines of seven syllables. The first and third lines rhyme and the second and fourth half rhyme on the same vowel sound as the full rhyme syllables.

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn proest cyfnewidiog}} ===

The "reciprocal half-rhyme {{lang|cy|englyn}}". This has four lines of seven syllables. All four lines half-rhyme, and there is additional {{lang|cy|cynghanedd}}.

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn toddaid}} ===
This is a hybrid between an {{lang|cy|englyn}} and a {{lang|cy|toddaid}}. The first two lines are as for an {{lang|cy|englyn}}, and there follow two more lines of ten syllables each.

=== {{lang|cy|Englyn cil-dwrn}} ===
After the first two lines there is just one more line of three syllables or fewer, which follows the rhyme of the first two lines.

== Examples ==

Here are two {{lang|cy|englynion}} by the 12th-century Welsh poet {{lang|cy|[[Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr]]|italic=no}}:

{{quote|1=<poem>{{lang|cy|Balch ei fugunawr ban nafawr ei lef
Pan ganer cyrn cydawr;
Corn Llywelyn llyw lluydfawr
Bon ehang blaen hang bloed fawr.

Corn wedi llad corn llawen
Corn llugynor Llywelyn
Corn gwyd gwydr ai can
Corn rueinell yn ol gellgwn}}</poem>}}

The poet [[Robert Graves]] wrote an {{lang|cy|englyn}} in English, included in the Juvinalia (1910–1914) of his ''Complete Poems''

{{quote|1=<poem>A Pot of White Heather
Thou, a poor woman's fairing, white heather,
Witherest from the ending
Of summer's bliss to the sting
Of winter's grey beginning.</poem>}}

Here is an English-language {{lang|cy|englyn}} by novelist [[Robertson Davies]].

{{quote|1=<poem>The Old Journalist
He types his laboured column—weary drudge!
Senile, fudge and solemn;
Spare, editor, to condemn
These dry leaves of his autumn.</poem>}}

Grace in the form of an {{lang|cy|englyn}} (with {{lang|cy|cynghanedd}} shown) in a poem by W. D. Williams:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lowrihafcooke.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/adolygiad-ffilm-the-last-days-of-dolwyn-pg/|title=Adolygiad Ffilm: The Last Days of Dolwyn (PG)|last=lowrihafcooke|date=2013-02-06|website=Lowri Haf Cooke|language=cy|access-date=2019-06-18}}</ref>

{{block quote|1=<poem>
{{lang|cy|O, Dad, yn deulu dedwydd – y deuwn}} [{{lang|cy|Dad}} and {{lang|cy|dedwydd}}, ''d''&lt;accent&gt;''d'' repeated]
{{lang|cy|Â diolch o newydd}}, [{{lang|cy|deuwn}} and {{lang|cy|diolch}}, ''d''&lt;accent&gt; repeated]
{{lang|cy|Cans o'th law y daw bob dydd}} [{{lang|cy|law}} and {{lang|cy|daw}} rhyming, {{lang|cy|daw}} and {{lang|cy|dydd}}, ''d''&lt;accent&gt; repeated, {{lang|cy|cynghanedd sain}}]
{{lang|cy|Ein lluniaeth a'n llawenydd.}} [{{lang|cy|ein lluniaeth}} and {{lang|cy|a'n llawenydd}}, ''ll''&lt;accent&gt;''n'' repeated]</poem>}}

{{block quote|1=<poem>O, Father, as a happy family – we come
With thanks anew,
For from your hand comes every day
Our sustenance and our joy.</poem>|sign=|source=}}

==Breton==
[[Bretons|Breton]] poet {{lang|br|Padrig an Habask}} also writes [[Breton language|Breton-language]] {{lang|cy|englynion}}; in 2020, he has published a collection of them called {{lang|br|Lampreiz}}. (http://brezhoneg.org/en/node/11057)

== See also ==
{{Portal|Cornwall|Wales}}
* {{lang|cy|[[Englynion y Beddau]]}}
* {{lang|cy|[[Englynion y Clywaid]]}}
* {{lang|cy|[[Cerdd dafod]]}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*{{citation |last=Rhys |first=John |author-link=John Rhys |year=1905 |editor-last=Evans |editor-first=E. Vincent |contribution=The Origin of the Welsh Englyn and Kindred Metres |title=Y Cymmrodor |volume=XVIII |publisher=[[Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion]] |publication-date=1905 |pages=1–185 |url=https://archive.org/stream/ycymmrodor18cymmuoft }}

{{Wiktionary}}

[[Category:Cornish literature]]
[[Category:Stanzaic form]]
[[Category:Welsh poetry]]