Curiously enough, the Scottish 'bardie' also denotes a 'gelded cat', which may help to explain the scarcity of this species of poet in the Lowlands north of Hadrian's Wall, with William McGonagall being a celebrated exception:
Q: "What's worn under the Bardie's kilt?" A: Nothing … but why belabour the obviously absent?
Indeed, as this list shows, many other countries are infested with 'poetically challenged' rhymesters. However, we note with interest that Wales—in line with its hordes of famously out-of-tune and (alas!) émigrés tenors—appears to have three times more of them than just about anyone else. 'Gwlad y Gân', 'The Land of Song' indeed? 'Gwlad y Crachfeirdd', 'd be more apt, I fancy!! Ha!
Here in Corwall, the situation is no different than anywhere else (except our tenors do sing in tune —honest!), with two shining exceptions: Gerva an Scrynkyer and, of course, this blog! Their pages are generously strewn with the choice effusions of some of today's most quality bards: don't be fooled by the modest, self-effacing noms de poétastres assumed by some of these poetising powerhouses! As you'll have seen by now, An Barthyk Dysbardhek, An Barthyk Mur, An Cragh-varthyk Lym et al. would be good rôle models for any aspiring verse-monger who can't write. This haiku proves the point:
If a Poetaster's writings • are adorned with Poetasticules,
Then female Poetessters • will just stick to Poetessticles.
Then female Poetessters • will just stick to Poetessticles.
'South o' the Border', The Bodmin Bardie. 2006.
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