Monday 13 March 2017

Random rubais





Even if the lamp's made from gold
it cannot burn without a wick
which is from modest cotton rolled -
crucial is rarely aesthetic.

***

The heart shatters with the mirror, it’s old -
precious the memories more than the shards,
but together they reflect a thousand-fold
the flame and wick, the dark, the whole courtyard...

***

The tree wears a ring of birds like a diadem
and a few fireflies on itself - without the glow
they look just plain insects, ugly, not much to them -
a little dark is needed for their light to show.








That's what I've been doing this week, apart from trying to schedule A-Z posts that is - I've been writing rubais, which is the Arabic/Urdu/Hindi word for quatrains. Each quatrain or rubai is supposed to be complete in itself, at least that's the traditional rule, there are others too about syllable counts and such, those I happily ignore as per convenience.  These were written independent of each other, and at different times, do they seem connected? 



21 comments:

  1. Hi Nila. I loved your rubais. I love your innovative style. The three seemed connected to me as a reader with the form of light in each...loved especially 'a little dark is needed for their light to show...' True.

    Have a great week.

    Denise :-0

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    1. Thanks, Denise. Preparing for WEP too, or least trying to...welcome back!and have the loveliest week.

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  2. Forgot to say, good luck with the A-Z prep!

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  3. They do indeed feel connected, but can stand alone proudly too.
    A-Z? I look forward to your take on the theme very much.

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    1. That's good to know! Managed to follow the rules in that respect :) for once!

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  4. Hi Nila - I can see and read and feel their link ... the reflection, the need for light to bring them out. Lovely word rubais ... and good luck with the A-Z preparation ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Yeah, I like the word rubai over quatrain too :) thanks for the wishes, still a long way to g so need them!

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  5. Who needs syllable counts? You created something beautiful without them.

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    1. Thank goodness, not many people do! and so I get by :) glad you liked them, thank you!

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  6. Oh, boy, do I have to get on the ball. LOL
    Yes, they do seem connected. Lovely!

    Good luck! Definitely, needing me some! :)

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  7. Oh, A to Z. I'm going to miss the satisfaction of participating this year but not all the work.

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    1. I rather enjoy the research but strangely not the advance scheduling still, go figure. Sorry to hear that you're not participating!

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  8. I enjoyed these quiet rubais, especially the firefly one. With a little dark, these plain insects glow. In reverse, often with some light, a plain person can shine.
    I look forward to your A to Z.

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    1. Light's always important, sometimes the presence of it, at others, its absence. My A-Z this time is going to be different...

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  9. I think you did quite well. Real beauty is in self expression

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  10. I enjoyed these two. There's an art to writing something in a small space.

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    1. It's harder to get the point across in small word counts, but also more rewarding when it's done successfully. Thanks for stopping by.

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  11. I certainly could sense the connection. And the imagery created is interesting with a deeper sort of truth.
    Very nice.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. Strangely, I only spotted the connect when I was putting them down here...thank you for stopping by.

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