An awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger poem, with different mono-rhymed sections each in a different meter, usually between 20-40 lines, almost always linked by the device called cyrch-gymeriad, which is to repeat either a whole word or sound between the end of one section and the beginning of the next, or by repeating the same word or sound at the beginning of each section. It became so that the entire poem was called the awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More, and the subsections were called caniadau in modern usage, or awdlau in older usage.
Then in the 14th c. the Englynion was introduced as a structural feature, either at the beginning of the awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More, between sections, or at its end. Sometimes all three.
So. What this means, is that when sources in English poetry say that the awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More is a family of 12 meters, using the principals of cynhaneddMerriam Webster defines Cyndhanedd (pronounced kung-han-eth) as "a strict intricate system of alliteration and rhyme used in Welsh poetry." It was developed by the 14th century and codified in the Caerwys Eisteddfod (Assembly of Bards) of 1523. In Welsh poetry, it's an elaborate system of sound relationships involving accent, alliteration and internal rhyme, and comes in four basic types. Cyndhanedd lusg... More, this is what they’re referring to: an awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More is originally a long form poem of various sections/stanzas, each turning on one single end rhyme, and each using one metrical type (see below). With each meter type being complicated in they’re own right, it was something of a competitive feat for a poet of old to fit as many of the 24 official meters in one long AwdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More.
In terms of the subsections, the stanzas, each line can be of different lengths with 8-10 syllables being average, though not strict. Each meter, or subtypes of awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More, each have their structure of shorter or longer lines and playing around with the general idea of the awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More end rhyme. Again, each stanza, subsection, of the awdle has no prescribed number of lines.
The tricky part about awdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More, and really any old Welsh meter in general, is the use of cynghanedd. So far as I understand it, in any and every line the poet is to use one or more of the four cynhaneddMerriam Webster defines Cyndhanedd (pronounced kung-han-eth) as "a strict intricate system of alliteration and rhyme used in Welsh poetry." It was developed by the 14th century and codified in the Caerwys Eisteddfod (Assembly of Bards) of 1523. In Welsh poetry, it's an elaborate system of sound relationships involving accent, alliteration and internal rhyme, and comes in four basic types. Cyndhanedd lusg... More, which can make things really, really technical. Leave it to the Welsh, right?
The 12 AwdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More meters are as follows:
1. RhupuntNote: In an effort to get as many forms in here as we can before April, we're going to get a streamlined entry going here. Check back in later for more elaborate posts, including history etc. The Rhupunt (pronounced hree’-pint) is a Welsh poetry form, of the Awdl class of stanzaic forms Structure: • each stanza may have three, four, or five lines... More, (rhée-pint)
2. Cyhydedd fer (cuh-hée-dedd ver) (short equivalence rhyme)
3. Byr a thoddaid, (bir a thód-deyed) (short toddaid)
4. Clogyrnach (clog-ír-nach)
5. Cyhydedd Naw Ban, (cuh-hée-dedd naw ban)
6. Cyhydedd Hir, (cuh-hée-dedd heer) (long cyhydedd)
7. Toddaid, (todd-eyed)
8. Gwawdodyn, (gwow-dód-in-heer) (gwad = poem)
9. Gwawdodyn hir, (gwow-dód-in heer) (long poem )
10. Hir a thoddaid, (heer-ah-thódd-eyed) (long stanza with toddaid)
11. Cyrch a chwta, (kirch-a-chóo-tah) (two rhyme a chwta)
12. Tawddgyrch cadwynog, (tówdd-girch ca-dóy-nog) (two rhyme chain)
For the curious, the rest of the 24 official Welsh meters are as follows:
The Englyn meters:
13. Englyn penfyr
14. Englyb milwr
15. Englyn unodl union’
16. Englyn unodl crwca
17. Englyn cyrch
18. Englyn proest dalgron
19. Englyn Heddfbroest
20. Englyn proest gadwynog
The Cywydd meters:
21. AwdlAn awdl was originally a poem of indeterminate length with a single end rhyme throughout, in a single meter. In the 12th century, The Poets of the Princes treated this iteration of the awdl as a poem in its own right, but by that time it was becoming more common for it to consist as one part of a larger... More gywydd (owdl gów-wid) (rhymed cywcdd)
22. Cywydd deuair hirion (ców-idd dyé-ire héer-yon) (long-lined couplet)
23. Cywydd deuair fyrion (ców-idd dyé-ire féer-yon) (short-lined couplet)
24. Cywydd llosgyrnog, (ców-idd llos-gr-nog)
Sources:
The Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature in Britain (Google Books Link)
Celtic Culture: A-Celti (Google Books Link)
The Cambridge History of Welsh Literature (Google Books Link)
The Mapping Medieval Chester Project (http://www.medievalchester.ac.uk/texts/welshmetre.html)