| The traditional Russian folk poem called a chastushka (частушка) is a quatrain of trochaic tetrameter that can rhyme several ways: abab, abcb, or even aabb. The last foot of a chastushka line is often a single stressed syllable rather than a full trochee. (Think "Lizzie Borden took an ax...") Usually humorous, satirical, or ironic in nature, the chastushka is often put to music, usually with the accompaniment of a balalaika or an accordion.
Sometimes several chastushki occur in sequence to form a song. Chastushki cover a very wide spectrum of topics, from lewd jokes to political satire, including such diverse themes as love songs and Communist propaganda. After each chastuska, there is a full musical refrain without lyrics to give the listeners a chance to laugh without missing the next one.
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Russians write a kind of ditty,
Strung together in a series, Disagree? Feel free to sneer, please!
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Saturn's feast days hit the spot;
Saturn's ship approaches shore...
Chill December's days are dark... |
Stephen Bannon, soulless slob,
Kellyanne is strident, shrill,
Ignoramus named DeVos
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