Toddaid
Hello, dVerse poets. This is my first dVerse prompt for 2024, so let me wish all of you a very happy and healthy new year!
This is Meeting the Bar (MTB), which means we’re working with forms. Today’s challenge is to write a toddaid. It’s a Welsh poetic form that I’ve seen as quatrains and couplets. As close as I can determine from asking Welsh poets on Twitter/X, it’s pronounced TOTH-eyed, with the th like that in “although,” a soft th, and o as in “got.”
Here is what Writer’s Digest says about the form:
“Comprised of quatrains (or four-line stanzas).
Lines one and three have 10 syllables; lines two and four have nine syllables.
Lines two and four end rhyme.
A syllable near the end of line one rhymes with a syllable in the middle of line two.
A syllable near the end of line three rhymes with a syllable in the middle of line four.
Note on length: Toddaid can be as concise as one stanza (like my example below) or run on for multiple stanzas.”
However, other sites indicate it’s written in couplets:
Our own Jane Dougherty offers this advice
“Structure is couplets, L1 10 syllables, L2 9 syllables. Main rhyme, which can be assonance or consonance, is mid L1 end L2, and there’s an echo rhyme end of L1 and mid L2. Like all Welsh forms it should be song-like.”
OK. So, what does all this mean? I would say start with one couplet, a ten-syllable first line and then a nine-syllable line. Be aware of sound–assonance and consonance. The main rhyme is the end of the line with the middle of the next line, while the lines end with almost-rhymes of assonance or consonance.
For this prompt, I want you to write at least 2 couples, that is, four lines–but write more if you wish. I’m not the poetry police, and I won’t be counting your syllables or deciding if you’ve rhymed correctly. I want you to have fun with the form. However, if you’re not going to follow the rules as best you can, there’s no point in writing to the challenge, right?
Here is my first attempt:
In this darkest time of year, comes a trill,
robins flutter still, and the sky wingswith songs of light, quick questions in the sky,
–Merril D. Smith 2024
but answers fly, beyond our finding.
When you’re ready, post your poem on your blog, and place the link to your post in Mr. Linky,
Then visit and comment on others’ posts!
Many of us don’t have the time to write to every prompt, and there may be prompts you don’t want to do. It’s you choice always!
Mister Linky for this prompt should be open until Saturday, 3PM EST. If you miss a prompt, feel free to return to it at some other time, and you can always link your poem for an Open Link Night.

kim881 said:
Good evening poets and thank you for a challenging prompt, Merril, which I really enjoyed. I love Welsh poetry forms and this one is amazing once you get your head around it.
merrildsmith said:
That’s wonderful, Kim. I’m so pleased you enjoyed it!
merrildsmith said:
Hello, dVerse poets! Welcome to the pub. I know today’s form is challenging. The snow here is disappearing in rain and fog. Perhaps you’d like a cheery cocktail or a hot beverage while you ponder. As always, we have a variety of snacks available, cheese platters, falafels, flourless chocolate cake. We even have breakfast items–banana pancakes and blueberry waffles! I can’t wait to see what you’ve done with the prompt!
Laura Bloomsbury said:
I’ve just eaten but would have like a Welsh rarebit otherwise!
merrildsmith said:
Well, maybe tomorrow! We make Welsh cookies (I think called Welsh cakes there) from my husband’s family recipe. They’re cooked on a griddle like pancakes.
Helen said:
Good morning! It’s a bit after 8:00am in Bend .. how about coffee and blueberry waffles? Sounds yummy. Thanks for this challenge, it was truly one of the most difficult I have attempted, not certain I managed it well. However, I had fun and tons of head scratches.
Laura Bloomsbury said:
Merril – thank you for hosting this challenge! – going from 10 to 9 syllables the hardest part but since I like the Welsh poets so much that helped
merrildsmith said:
That’s wonderful, Laura. I’ll be by in a minute, as soon as I’ve linked up mine. 🙂
dorahak said:
Hello All, Thank you for hosting Merril. What a gem of a form the toddaid is! I thoroughly enjoyed your introducing us to it and hope I did it some little justice. How about some banana pancakes and a cup of coffee? Sounds just right for this cloudy, somnolent day. Maybe it’ll wake me up! 🙂
merrildsmith said:
You’re welcome, Dora. Here’s a platter of banana pancakes with an assortment of toppings and a cup of coffee! Thank you for joining in!
dorahak said:
Thank You! 😍
merrildsmith said:
😊
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I must say this was a true challenge, and I don’t even know if I got it right… but at least I tried to offer something
merrildsmith said:
Thank you for trying, Björn. I don’t know if I got mine right either. 🙂
Grace said:
Hi Merril. Thanks for introducing this poetry form. I found it so challenging, whew. I will read poems later when I get home. Rain after the snow is not good but warmer temps are coming up.
merrildsmith said:
Hi Grace. It is definitely a challenging form. Thank you for your poem!
Melissa Lemay said:
Hi Merril! I researched a bit more about the form, and everyplace I looked had different directions.😵💫 I could not find a solid example of the rhyme scheme that I was pleased with. Perhaps I will peruse more again later, and I’ll definitely be around to read some poetry.❤️
merrildsmith said:
Hi, Melissa. Yes, I couldn’t find solid examples, but I think the idea of a 10-syllable line followed by one of 9, and the end-middle rhyme seems consistent. There are longer Welsh forms that have lines of 10 syllables with the same rhyme, but then they have that toddaid couplet at the end.
Rob Kistner said:
Hi Merril — may 2024 find you and yours at your best and happiest. This is a strange but wonderful form (as forms go)… 😉 Gonna spend a bit of time with it. Should have something up by tomorrow… thanks for hosting my friend! 👍🏼🙂✌🏼🫶🏼
merrildsmith said:
Hi Rob, I’m so pleased you’re going to try it! I will look for it tomorrow. 😊
Rob Kistner said:
Was playing Texas Hold’em last night. Used that for inspiration. 👍🏼
merrildsmith said:
I just read it. Thank you!
pandamoniumcat said:
I did try
merrildsmith said:
You definitely did! It’s beautiful!
pandamoniumcat said:
Thank you…I usually avoid forms as they scare me but am determined to push myself this year, so thank you for the prompt! 🙂
merrildsmith said:
You’re very welcome! I’m happy that you tried it.
Stine Writing and Miniatures said:
Wow, yours is great!
merrildsmith said:
Thank you very much!
The Lonely Recluse said:
It was really fun to play with such a rigid form again, and I’ve been meaning to play with Welsh forms for a while. Thanks for the excellent prompt Merril.
merrildsmith said:
Thank you! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the prompt!
zipferlake said:
Thanks Merril, for introducing this Welsh poetry form to me.
It was difficult and fun at the same time.
merrildsmith said:
Hi Jan. I’m so pleased you enjoyed it. I think forms are often difficult and fun. I don’t do puzzles, but writing this type of poem is sort of like that, I think.
purplepeninportland said:
I would never attempt this form again!
merrildsmith said:
Well, I’m pleased you tried it once. 😊 I don’t write much form poetry either–mostly just for prompts.
purplepeninportland said:
Only for prompts, or when I participate in April and November challenges on Poetic Asides. I try to use a different form for each of the 30 days.
merrildsmith said:
That’s quite a challenge!
paeansunplugged said:
Hi Merril! What a wonderful prompt. I so enjoyed Jane’s Toddaid that you shared. I don’t know if I have got it right but I enjoyed the challenge.
merrildsmith said:
Hi Punam! I’m glad you were able to access Jane’s poems (on her old blog). Thank you for joining in!
pvcann said:
I’m thinking a leek soup might be in order, and a whiskey. Such fun Merril, a real challenge for me as I don’t find structure easy, but this has a neat rhythm to it as a form. Thank you.
merrildsmith said:
Hi Paul, leek soup and whiskey coming up! I’ll look for you poem later today (my time). 😊
pvcann said:
Thank you, I’m off to sleep 🙂
memadtwo said:
This actually turned out to be easy for me…I think the Oracle was whispering in my ear though. (K)