Tribute to William Soutar 1898-1943
A Perthshire Lad William Soutar
William S* showed a poetic voice
the quatrain form,his choice
he named a whigmaleerie
became a lasting legacy
Wiliam Soutar famed for his 119 American cinquains(which he labelled epigrams) also wrote whigmaleeries for children .
In dialect and lyric William’s
poetry soon found fame.
Whims and fanciful notions
these whigmaleerie were known.
Less popular yet, equally unique
verse in English, oh so terse. This
genre , American cinquain consolidated
a reputation,once again.
Grew to manhood on the river Tay,
Writing poems ,most every day;
Cinquains,epigrams, whigmaleerie-
& His diary of a dying man,left
Telling observations, for all to see.
Scottish poet Wiliam Soutar
is now well known wide and far,
for a his diary of a dying man-
Do read his whigmaleeries, if you can
For the lovely Adelaide Crapsey
a long life was not to be.
In syllable,two,four,six &eight
she created the cinquain anew!
Scottish poet Wiliam Soutar
is now well known wide ans far,
for a his diary of a dying man-
Do read his whigmaleeries, if you can
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.