englyn

Englyn is a traditional Welsh short verse form and one of Wales’s oldest surviving poetic types. It is typically written in compact lines arranged in four-line stanzas, although several subforms use different line counts. The defining feature is cynghanedd, a traditional system of alliteration, internal rhyme, and consonantal patterns that govern the music of the line. End rhymes connect the lines, and the final line often functions as a summarizing or punchy closure.

There are several subforms, the best known being englyn penfyr and englyn milwr, each with its own precise rules for syllables, stresses, and rhyme. In all forms, poets aim for economy of expression and a high degree of musicality, with sound patterns playing a central role in shaping meaning.

Historically, englyn developed in medieval Wales as part of the bardic tradition and remained a principal form in Welsh-language poetry for centuries. It was taught in bardic schools and featured in Eisteddfod competitions and classical verse. In modern times, englyns continue to be written by Welsh poets and in translations, appearing in contemporary lyric poetry as well as experimental work, preserving its distinctive musical quality and compact craft.