An Introduction to Period Poetry, Part III

As taught by
Lord Andres Castillo Suarez de Sevilla

Katauta
The Katauta is made up of 19 onji, or sound units... think of them as syllables, since that's
pretty much what they are. A line break in included after the 5th and 12th onji, which gives a
form of 5-7-7 (5 syllables on the first line, 7 syllables on the second line, and 7 syllables on the
third line.) Some later poets also shortened the onji count to 17, creating a structure of 5-7-5.

Katauta is also the building block for two other poetry forms, the Mondo and the Sedoka. Each
of these forms is similar in structure, with the first Katauta asking a (usually random or offhand)
question, and the second giving an (often equally random or offhand) answer. The difference
between the two forms is that a Mondo features different authors for each Katauta, while a
Sedoka is written by a single poet.

Lausavisa
The lausavisa is a single stanza of skaldic verse written (usually on the spot, although not
in this case) for a specific occasion or event. This poem was written to commemorate the
elevation of Mistress Deirdre O'Siodhachain to the Order of the Laurel. In drottkvaett (the form
used here) each couplet is tied together with alliteration, usually occurring on stressed syllables,
and always on the first syllable of the second line. In addition the first line contains a 'half-
rhyme' (skothending), which is a pair of similar consonant sounds, each preceded by a different
vowel sound. In the second line of each couplet, there is a full rhyme (adalhending) composed of
like vowel sounds followed by like consonants.

Pathya Vat
The basic Pathya Vat is made up of sixteen syllables, with four syllables on each of the
four lines. The syllable notation for this form is quite simple to remember: 4-4-4-4. For a four-
line Pathya Vat, the end-words of the second and third lines should rhyme. To use basic rhyming
notation, the poem would be illustrated as ABBC, where the B lines rhyme and the A and C lines
do not.

It is when the poem becomes longer that the form truly shines, however; the end-word of one
stanza must rhyme with the rhyming words of the next stanza. Consider the following rhyme
notation: ABBC DCCE FEEG… and so on. The final line of the poem need not rhyme with
anything.