# Higgeldy Piggeldy Game **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [November 26, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516 "2020-11-26T18:04:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/1 "2020-11-26T18:04:26Z")
This is a thread game based on a contest GAMES magazine ran, years ago. The idea is to write a short poem composed of double dactyls. A dactyl is a three syllable poetry measure with the stress on the first syllable. The following poems are written in double dactyl (DA da da DA da da), and the objective of the game is to write a similar eight line poem composed of these. They must start with the words “Higgeldy Piggeldy”. The original contest winners (IIRC) are reprinted below. Higgledy Piggeldy Benjamin Harrison Twenty-third President Was and as such Served between Clevelands And save for this trivial Idiosyncrasy Didn’t do much. Higgeldy Piggeldy Marcus Antonious What do you think of the African Queen? Gubernatorial Duties require My presence in Egypt Ya know what I mean? _Can you do better?_ ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/2 "2020-11-26T18:23:38Z")
Higgeldy piggeldy America’s father Was a father of none He married ol’ Martha With a daughter and a son He wears a big wig All powdery white And he takes it off For bed at night. Does that fit the rules? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/3 "2020-11-26T18:29:27Z")
Damn it, I see mine is nine lines long. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/4 "2020-11-26T18:31:15Z")
Amended: Higgeldy piggeldy America’s father Was a father of none He married ol’ Martha With a daughter and a son Wears a wig, all powdery white And he takes it off For bed at night. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/5 "2020-11-26T18:54:05Z")
To clarify, the fourth and eighth lines are meant to rhyme with each other and to be choriambs (DA-da-da-DA). The other lines are dactylic dimeter with no rhyme scheme. Higgledy piggledy, Arthur I. Garfunkel, Bibliomaniac, He is a rock. Simon’s confederate, Later his frenemy, Sang like a nightingale, Now he just squawks. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/6 "2020-11-26T19:20:29Z")
^^ Excellent!!! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/7 "2020-11-26T21:52:42Z")
That’s good. @Happy_Lendervedder made a great effort despite my poor explanation, I think it is recommended the second line be a person, but this is not mandatory here. The fourth and eight lines rhyme and are choriambs, as @bibliophage says, but the other lines are _double_ dactyls. Anyway, Higgledy Piggeldy William Shakespeare Wrote splendid sonnets in Stratford on Thames Married Anne Hathaway Though loved a Dark Lady Then switched between Greeks and _Cherchez les femmes_. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/8 "2020-11-26T21:55:41Z")
Since @Dr_Paprika first mentioned these double dactyl rhymes in another thread a few days ago, I’ve been having a fun time reading the ones on this page: [https://www.math.wisc.edu/~robbin/Higgeldy.txt](https://www.math.wisc.edu/~robbin/Higgeldy.txt) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/9 "2020-11-26T22:01:21Z")
Some of those are brilliant. Thanks for that link. I didn’t know the origins of the contest. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/10 "2020-11-27T07:21:30Z")
Higgeldy-piggledy Howard J. Wolowitz, Space station toilet guy, Married a peach, B. Rostenkowski, a Pharmacological Microbiologist, Piercing of speech. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/11 "2020-11-27T07:39:26Z")
Another excellent one! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/12 "2020-11-27T07:40:48Z")
Higgledy piggledy Thanksgiving dinner was Diff’rent from last year and Covid was why, Instead of a hen stuffed with Giblets and cornbread we Ate individual Banquet Pot Pies ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/13 "2020-11-27T15:02:34Z")
Higgeldus Piggeldus President Donald J. Looting the treasury Acquired a cough Recovered from COVID Gave it to his staffers - Lost an election but Wouldn’t \*\*\*\* off. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/14 "2020-11-27T15:27:33Z")
Higgledy Piggledy Here’s Greta Thurnberg, she’s Autustic and seventeen and Has no boyfriend. But somehow or other she Has rallied the Greenery To save the whole planet From its fiery end. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/15 "2020-11-27T16:42:31Z")
Higgeldy Piggeldy Emerson Winchester Went to Korea to Serve in the war Bête noire of Hawkeye who Hungered for Hot Lips he’s Better than Burns, but what’s Fighting good for? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/16 "2020-11-27T18:55:13Z")
Higgledy piggledy, Emperor Hadrian Built a big wall and is Honored by lots. Deification’s not Too much to ask for the Last guy who managed to Keep out the Scots. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/17 "2020-11-27T21:42:02Z")
Higgeldy Piggeldy Howard P. Lovecraft while Writing a novel heard Far-away tunes Almost Peruvian? Antediluvian! Shanties from Old Ones as Wild as typhoons ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/18 "2020-11-27T22:30:20Z")
Higgeldum Piggeldum Emperor Constantine Moved to Byzantium To build his home Raised Holy Sepulchres In ancient Jerus’lem - Didn’t believe that all Roads lead to Rome ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/19 "2020-11-27T22:39:16Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I think it is recommended the second line be a person, but this is not mandatory here. The fourth and eight lines rhyme and are choriambs, as @bibliophage says, but the other lines are _double_ dactyls. And one line should consist of a single word. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2020, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516/20 "2020-11-27T23:26:06Z")
That could be. This interpretation here is looser, but that doesn’t mean it was well described in the OP. The GAMES contest was perhaps in 1985(?) after the invention of the form in 1966, according to the above link. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/higgeldy-piggeldy-game/926516.md?page=2)