Matheson Collection > Gaelic songs of Mary MacLeod

NOTES 143
{b) Consisting of a phrase of two stresses, six times repeated,
with end-rime and inconstant internal rime, followed by a
half-phrase of two syllables with stress on the penultimate
and carrying its rime throughout the poem. This is found in
Marbhrann do Fhear na Comraich:
6 (Tha mise air leaghadh le bròn) èirigh.
2. Irregular Strophe: (a) Marbhrann do Shir Tormod,
which contains two types of strophe, (i) a phrase with two
stresses, the second being on the penultimate syllable, six
times repeated, with end-rime and usually internal rime,
followed by a half-phrase of two syllables with one stress on
the penult and carrying its rime throughout the poem:
6 (Cha surd cadail) eisdeachd;
and (2) a phrase of two stresses, the second being on the ulti-
mate syllable, six to eight times repeated, followed by a half-
phrase of three syllables with one stress on the penult:
6-8 (Is trom an cudthrom so dhrùidh) cha tèid mi.
(Ò) An Crònan, which consists of the type last mentioned,
the double-stressed phrase being repeated from five to seven
times:
5-7 (An naidheachd so an dè) ri crònan.
(c) Marbhrann do Iain Garbh is of the same type, except
that the final half-phrase is of three or four syllables, with
stress on the penult or antepenult; but two strophes are of
the type of Marbhrann do Shir Tormod ( i ) , save that the double-
stressed phrase is repeated seven and eight times, and is
followed by a four-syllable half-phrase with one stress:
5-7 (Mo bheud 's mo chràdh) an Ratharsaidh.
id) Do Mhac Dhomhnaill. This is a rather unusual metre,
consisting of a phrase with two chief stresses, the second being
on the antepenultimate syllable, repeated from four to six
times, with end-rime and inconstant internal rime, followed
by a single-stressed phrase in the end-rime, followed in turn
by a three-syllable phrase stressed on the penult and carrying
its rime throughout the poem:
Tha ulaidh orm an wamharrachd
Mo ghibhte phriseil wasal thu
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