Some Poetic stuff
drápa f. 'a heroic, laudatory poem', probably derived from drepa 'to strike'. Composed in dróttkvætt metre, and much in fashion from 10th to 12th centuries, earliest of the 9th c. Even poems in honor of the gods, Christ, the holy cross, saints, etc. can be considered drápur, but most are in honor of kings, earls, princes, or eminent men. Usually consists of three parts: Introduction (upphaf), Burden or Middle Part (stef) (refrain?), Peroration (slæmr). It is very long, 20 stanzas, 60 stanzas, etc.
dræpingr m. diminutive of drápa, 'a little drápa' -- not as long and without a refrain.
flokkr m. (akin to fólk) 1. 'a body of men', 'a company, host', 'a troop, band', 2. a short poem, distinct from drápa in that it is shorter, less laudatory, and does not have the burdens (refrains) - also composed in dróttkvætt.
lausavísa f. 'a ditty' (literally 'loose-stanza') -- a single stanza of dróttkvætt said to be improvised on the spot for the occasion it marks.
kviða f. 'an epic poem, a song or ballad' composed in fornyrðislag or kviduháttr (the latter probably the more correct name of the two).
mál n. 1. 'speech, faculty of speech', 2. 'language, tongue', 4. 'a tale, narrative', 7. a name of old songs, containing old saws or sentences, also of poems in a dialogue, composed in málaháttr.
tal n. 1. 'talk, parley, conversation,' 2. 'speech, language,' 3. 'a tale, number,' 4. 'a tale, list, series.'
vísa f. 'a stanza', pl. vísur 'stanzas' -- a short poem of a few stanzas, no refrain, also composed in dróttkvætt.
dræpingr m. diminutive of drápa, 'a little drápa' -- not as long and without a refrain.
flokkr m. (akin to fólk) 1. 'a body of men', 'a company, host', 'a troop, band', 2. a short poem, distinct from drápa in that it is shorter, less laudatory, and does not have the burdens (refrains) - also composed in dróttkvætt.
lausavísa f. 'a ditty' (literally 'loose-stanza') -- a single stanza of dróttkvætt said to be improvised on the spot for the occasion it marks.
kviða f. 'an epic poem, a song or ballad' composed in fornyrðislag or kviduháttr (the latter probably the more correct name of the two).
mál n. 1. 'speech, faculty of speech', 2. 'language, tongue', 4. 'a tale, narrative', 7. a name of old songs, containing old saws or sentences, also of poems in a dialogue, composed in málaháttr.
tal n. 1. 'talk, parley, conversation,' 2. 'speech, language,' 3. 'a tale, number,' 4. 'a tale, list, series.'
vísa f. 'a stanza', pl. vísur 'stanzas' -- a short poem of a few stanzas, no refrain, also composed in dróttkvætt.