Introduction
The double dactyl is a very specific verse form. The first line is repetitive nonsense to get the rhythm going. The second is a double-dactylic name. One line in the second of the two stanzas should consist of a single double-dactylic word.
Perhaps the best known example of the form is Wendy Cope's Emily Dickinson:
-
Higgledy-piggledy
Emily Dickinson
Liked to use dashes
Instead of full stops.
Nowadays, faced with such
Idiosyncrasy,
Critics and editors
Send for the cops.
Here are a few more examples:
-
Roger de Lodgerley
Hodgety podgety.
Roger de Lodgerley
Rode his grey mare at a
Joust in the lists.
Roger dismounted and
Undiplomatically
Knocked his opponent down
Just with his fists.
William the Conqueror
Honkety tonkety.
William the Conqueror
Landed his army at
Pevensey Bay.
Harold marched south, but too
Enthusiastically -
Wore all his troops out, so
Will won the day.
Mr Gulbenkian
Hubbledy bubbledy.
Mr Gulbenkian
Set up a business which
Made lots of cash,
Then in a move which was
Counter-intuitive
Launched a foundation to
Share out his stash.
Uploading ....