I’m giving myself short ‘writing prompts’ to challenge myself and my muse.
They will be really short, so it’d be great if you could join in occasionally. As my first entry on this blog, is my second try at writing a Ghazal.
The first try was terrible. Let’s hope this one is better.
The Ghazal of a Mother and Son
Blood and flesh, the same in both of them,
Seeds of good and evil planted in them.
One grows, one rots, their stories entwined
One falls, one stops, held through love between them.
A haven of peace in a fragile palm,
Used by only one, not both of them.
No Rose for blood poured into dirt,
A fissure in the heart of both of them.
As cold rocks their fused souls threaten to crack,
But the Lion’s and Her forgiveness, saves them.
What is a Ghazal?
“The ghazal is composed of a minimum of five couplets—and typically no more than fifteen—that are structurally, thematically, and emotionally autonomous. Each line of the poem must be of the same length, though meter is not imposed in English. The first couplet introduces a scheme, made up of a rhyme followed by a refrain. Subsequent couplets pick up the same scheme in the second line only, repeating the refrain and rhyming the second line with both lines of the first stanza. The final couplet usually includes the poet’s signature, referring to the author in the first or third person, and frequently including the poet’s own name or a derivation of its meaning.”
Definition stolen from poets.org
Here’s a youtube video of a Ghazal performed in Urdu and translated to English.
That’s actually really good (though ‘them’ does get a bit repetitive – is that the point?). I can’t imagine writing with such constraints.
I thought that’s what Learco meant, but wasn’t sure…where does Scorpion come from? Born in November?
Thanks tmso
Yeah, that’s the point. It’s like a refrain that is supposed to reoccur in every couplet. Just try writing with constraints … you might be surprised what you come up with. I hated it, but doing it in class again and again has forced me to adapt.
Learco actually means Lion Chieftain, or Leader of the People, haha. Big responsibility, huh? Scorpion just came from the need to change my name quickly .. no meaning behind it. Born in July! I’m a Cancer.