Rhupunt Verse Form

Welsh bards (poets) were held in very high esteem, and their poetry can be traced back to 100 B.C. Poetry was considered a profession, and to practice a person had to qualify, usually by participating in the Eisteddfod, or poetry competition that had very strict structural requirements.

Sometime in the 14th century, the Welsh poetic forms were codified into 24 official meters. These meters were then divided into three categories: the Englynion, the Cywydd, and the Awdl. The Rhupunt (pronounced hree’ pint) is the 13th Welsh meter, falling into the Awdl category. It has both a strict syllable count and rhyme scheme.

It can be presented in one of two ways: either as a stanzaic form, with 3 to 5 lines per verse, 4 syllables each; or as a single line for each verse, broken up into 3 to 5 four-syllable sections. The lines or sections of each verse are mono-rhymed, except for the final one which rhymes with the other final lines/sections throughout the poem. When written as a single line, the lines are paired as couplets. Easy peasy, right? I think a schematic is definitely called for!

Schematic for four line stanzas:

xxxa
xxxa
xxxa
xxxb

xxxc
xxxc
xxxc
xxxb

xxxd
xxxd
xxxd
xxxb

xxxe
xxxe
xxxe
xxxb

Schematic for single lines:

xxxaxxxaxxxaxxxb
xxxcxxxcxxxcxxxb

xxxdxxxdxxxdxxxb
xxxexxxexxxexxxb


Because I did two schematics, I thought it only fair that I do my example both ways. To be honest, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be to write, although being limited to four syllables per line was a little annoying – it seems kind of choppy with that restriction. But the best part is, I have another one of the coded Welsh forms under my belt! :-)


I start to write
with sun so bright
I wish for night
when it is chill

my mind, it strays
my thoughts ablaze
I look for ways
to hone my skill

I choose my font
the words look gaunt
I do not want
the ink to spill

deadline is met
fulfilling debt
I’ve one task yet –
put down my quill



I start to write, with sun so bright, I wish for night, when it is chill
my mind, it strays, my thoughts ablaze, I look for ways, to hone my skill

I choose my font, the words look gaunt, I do not want, the ink to spill
deadline is met, fulfilling debt, I’ve one task yet – put down my quill