A dactyl is a poetic foot of the form >-- (ON-off-off). For example, matador, realize, cereal, limerick, etc. A double dactyl can therefore mean simply two dactyls in a row. A dactyl (Gr. ... Poetry (from Ancient Greek: (poiéo/poió) = I create / I make / I do / I cause) is traditionally a written art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ...

A double dactyl is also a verse form, otherwise known as "Higgeldy piggeldy". Like a limerick, it has a rigid structure and is usually humorous, but the double dactyl is considerably more rigid and difficult to write. There must be two stanzas, each comprising three lines of dactylic dimeter followed by a line with a dactyl and a single accent. The two stanzas have to rhyme on their last line. The first line of the first stanza is repetitive nonsense. The second line of the first stanza is the subject of the poem, a proper noun (usually someone's name). Note that this name must itself be double-dactylic. There is also a requirement for at least one line of the second stanza to be entirely one double dactyl word, for example "va-le-dic-tor-i-an". A limerick is a short, often humorous and ribald poem developed to a very specific structure. ... In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. ... A rhyme is a repetition of identical or similar sounds in two or more different words and is most often used in poetry. ...

A classic example by Theodore L. Drachman:

Small Problem

Higgamus Hoggamus

"Anton Von Leewenhoek

Has a small problem," con-

Fided his wife.

"Microbiology

Doesn't disturb me; his

Microanatomy's

Blighting my life!"

A lewd, yet clever one by Brian Flanagan -- although the word stresses in the last two lines do not follow normal English pronunciation: Anton van Leeuwenhoek Anton van Leeuwenhoek (October 24, 1632 - August 30, 1723, full name Thonius Philips van Leeuwenhoek (pronounced Layewenhook) was a Dutch tradesman and scientist from Delft, Netherlands. ... Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are unicellular or cell-cluster microscopic organisms. ... A penis panic is a colloquial term referring to a type of mass hysteria or panic where males grow fearful of removal or shrinking of the penis. ...

Show Business

"Hey-nonny, ho-nonny,

Penis Van Lesbian

Entered the bus'ness that

no biz is like."

"Keen on increasing his

marketability,

he took on the stage name

of Dick Van Dyke."

A wonderful one by Paul Pascal on the subject of Antony and Cleopatra: Dick Van Dyke circa 2004 Richard Wayne Van Dyke (born December 13, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri), usually credited as Dick Van Dyke, is a famous American television and movie actor. ... Antony and Cleopatra is a historical tragedy by William Shakespeare, first performed in 1607 or 1608 and printed in the First Folio, 1623. ...

Tact

"Patty cake, patty cake,

Marcus Antonius,

What do you think of the

African queen?"

"Gubernatorial

Duties require my

Presence in Egypt. Ya

Know what I mean?"

A similar verse form called a McWhirtle was invented in 1989 by American poet Bruce Newling. For his relatives and other people with similar names, see Marcus Antonius (disambiguation). ... Cleopatra VII Philopator (January 69 BC – August 12, 30 BC,Greek:Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ), later Cleopatra Thea Neotera Philopator kai Philopatris, was queen of ancient Egypt, the last member of the Ptolemaic dynasty and hence the last Hellenistic ruler of Egypt. ... A pair of lions copulating in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. ... A McWhirtle is a light verse form similar to a double dactyl, invented in 1989 by American poet Bruce Newling. ...

External links

• Additional examples, links, and information.

• The Daily Double-Dactyl.