Poetry Forum

Has the ancient "flyting" form of poetry completely disappeared (for obvious reasons), or does it still survive somewhere ? Anyone know ?

V

Hello Queen Vic - here's Wiki: Flyting is similar in both form and function to the modern African American practice of the dozens.

Actually I was thinking of those DJ hip hop battles those pesky young folk have - that's approximately the same thing as the dozens, isn't it?

Cheers

David

Unless you mean 'flirting' as in romantic poetry, but with a really posh Queen Victoria style pronunciation?

In fact, its co-incidental because I caught a glimpse of a sort of flyting contest on a television earlier, between Peter Pan(Robin Williams?) and one of the lost boys.....

Then a feast appeared......thats all I remember I'm afraid.

On a similar note. I heard an interview with a Somalian musician on radio a couple of years ago. He described a game called 'Joking Cousins' for children, in which thay all sit in a circle and throw insults at each other, buts it's ok because they are 'Joking Cousins'. I revived it amongst my nephews and nieces at a recent family get together. Great fun! and they get close to the bone.

I revived it amongst my nephews and nieces at a recent family get together. Great fun! and they get close to the bone.

I'm sure the parents and grandparents loved you!

Ha! there were a few furrowed brows. I think they were playing 'Worried Relatives'.