The dog is intent

By THLaird Colyne Stewart, April AS 50 (2016)

The dog is intent

In the window sitting

Barks at those who trespass

As is only fitting

Our lives she protects

From our peaceful neighbours

Who daily go about

Toiling at labours

At the dog shouting

Never who will waver

In her mind a hero

The dog intent, savior.

This poem is written in breccbairdne which were Old Irish quatrains consisting of one 5-syllable line followed by three 6-syllable lines. They rhymed xaxa xbxb (and so on, where the x lines did not rhyme). All end words had two syllables. Poems written in breccbairdne concluded with dúnadh (when a poem began and ended on the same letter, word or syllable).