Form Challenges #23
RUBAIYAT

When one hears the name Rubaiyat automatically one thinks of Omar Kyyam. So it is not surprising to find the Rubia originated in Persia.
It consists of four line stanzas (quatrains) and is usually tetrameter or pentameter form.
Lines one, two, and four rhyme and the third line can be used to interlock the next stanza and by doing so with three or more stanzas, we have a Rubaiyat, as shown in the following example:

The lonely night draw swiftly down
Covering the world in a deep black gown
Creeping softly in without a sound
As I sleep alone in this distant town.
I close my eyes, but sleep can't be found
Till your loving spirit wraps itself around
Then I'm covered and warm wrapped in love
An ethereal blanket keeps me safe and sound.
etc
Teagan De Danaan

The third linking line is optional and Fitzgerald often ignored it during his translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyám. Here are the three opening stanzas

I
Wake! For the Sun, who scatter'd into flight
The Stars before him from the Field of Night,
Drives Night along with them from Heav'n, and strikes
The Sultan's Turret with a Shaft of Light.
II
Before the phantom of False morning died,
Methought a Voice within the Tavern cried,
"When all the Temple is prepared within,
Why nods the drowsy Worshipper outside?"
III
And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before
The Tavern shouted - "Open then the Door!
You know how little while we have to stay,
And, once departed, may return no more."

Terza Rima Posts....Contents

Carly Svamvour: Bobby McGee & Skitter; The Ghost of Bobby McGee
Kathy Anderson: Deference to Dreams
Lorainne Stark: Celluloid Dreams; In Hamlets of Darkness; Nights without a Moon; Twelve Spirits of Night; Your Message
Prentice: Ode to the Desert Rain; The Unknown
Teagan De Danaan: Autumn in Victoria; Circles; Hellbent; Man and Maid; Night Spirit

Carly Svamvour

Bobby McGee & Skitter

Winter's days are getting longer
Sunlight makes us feel much stronger
As our young cat greets the days with glee
I watch and remember another gone yonder.

I've memories still of Bobby McGee
frolicking, romping - busy as a bee;
I'm musing on how she would run with no fears,
in the parking lot daily, so pretty was she.

Although she's been gone for over two years
we still miss her wee face, her pointed ears.
Now, Skitter our new cat we love just as much,
But Bobby remains in our hearts and our tears.

Here's to a cat named Bobby McGee
and a new one who brings as much glee.

-----

The Ghost of Bobby McGee
For the night spirit ...

Some nights I just quietly observe;
it is not that I don't have the nerve
to pounce on their new cat, make her twitch
and scratch, make her big yellow eyes swerve

about the room, looking for the witch
who had the moxy to put an itch
in her ear, whisper some gross insult
about her tail, or sit in her niche,

looking so cute, which always results
in cuddling, even though the tumult
the little bugger makes on her romps
drives them bananas - makes them consult

with the vet - wish she was more reserved.
Heh! Heh! Like I say - I just observe.

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Kathy Anderson

Deference to Dreams

Can have effect on more than peoples love,
It gives thoughts a chance to rise above
The everyday flow internally felt
And daylights external ambient dove.

It flies over sin and errs of mankind
Reaching highs experience cannot find,
Forge or bring to bear inherently for
The silent nightmares ignored, left behind.

Dream a little sunlit prayer for all care
To come to the aid of those lost running mares
Galloping through air or pensive night,
Respected more as time comforts love shared.

Throughout it all, cast away dark feeling
Fleeing with memories blessed appealing.

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Lorainne Stark

Celluloid Dreams

Gently day surrenders to night
A slow crescendo of dreams in twilight
Rise within invisible strands of hope
Each a passenger waiting to take flight

Slowly they rise above destiny's smoke
First pictures formed by artists strokes
As I anticipate this odyssey of the mind
Whispers echo words my ancestors spoke

Patience is required for a journey of this kind
Before daybreak lifts her Venetian blinds
Alone on this voyage I do not wish to wake
For I'm searching for the future of mankind

In total darkness unprepared I succumb to
The show from night's vault ready to debut

-----
In Hamlets of Darkness

Goodnight my darling children
When you sleep may sweet dreams christen
Each moment till morning sun
Do not fear sights from any of them

In the folds of darkness lives a strange one
He's just a figure of your imagination
Sometimes the bogeyman can seem so real
Do not be afraid all you have to do is listen

You have nothing to fear from the surreal
His joy is to hear your frightened squeal
The good spirits of night will protect you
From his intrusion and ghosts he tries to reveal

-----
Nights without a Moon

I close my eyes to remember
September, October, November
Your smile, your laughter your beauty
When we were young and ahead was forever

December, January, February
My heart aches without you, I'm lonely
In March and April and May and June
Lovers stroll leaving footprints in eternity

July, August, September a year so soon
My soul empty as a night without a moon
Seasons change but not my love for you
For now I'm a stranger stranded on a dune

Left to share fall, winter, spring and summer
With your spirit bound in each forever

-----
Twelve Spirits of Night

Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini
All pictures outlines in the sky
A distinct set of stars defines their names
It makes one wonder and question why

These old guys must take all the blame
For designated positions of fame
Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra,
Each content in its floating frame

Stars born from a celestial mother
Strands of time join them together
Scorpio, Sagittarius,
Capricorn, Aquarius brothers

Spectacular and mystifying is the view
Look up at night its always there for you

-----

Your Message

For weeks I've tried to reach you
Not one footprint left for me to pursue
Where you may be where you've been
Which leaves me feeling alone and blue

I ponder this state of confusion
Perhaps it's just all my imagination
Searching the dungeons of night's conscience
I find nothing nor reason for celebration

Then an uncharted breeze in pristine silence
Delivered your message to me in confidence
Once more I am safe I received your message
I am content for now until our next séance.

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Prentice

Ode to the Desert Rain

How refreshing the rain is as it falls on the ground,
As you smell the humidity, and hear the sound,
Of a thousand single drops thunder on the road,
And in your home, warmth is found.

What sweet fragrance as nature is reborn,
As the water rushes and everything is reformed.
When the flower blooms in the soft mist,
And the desert is drenched, and the heat is torn.

O! What beautiful mountains covered in white,
As the clouds descend on them, what a sight!
When there is no talk of war on the air,
And the rain brings to us only the light.

-----

The Unknown

Ding dong, ding dong I hear the bells
Sing song, sing song, the bird sings its tales
The night has come, can you hear the sound?
The time is nigh, its time for hell.

One and two, come from the abyss
Three and four, can you resist?
They keep on coming, unstoppable
The door has opened, and it insists.

Day has given way to night.
Good, has lost its only sight.
Hope is only for the fools
For evil is now the only might.

Run, run, for catch you it will!
The Storm is here, and it wants to kill
Screams are heard, there is no help!
There it is, it will wait for you still.

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Teagan De Danaan

Autumn in Victoria

The northerlies are less frequent now
Instead the southwesters begin to show
The bite has gone from the constant sun.
And a little rain comes with the blow.

There a colour that pervades all round
The leaves in the garden are all brown,
But not the brown of the northern death
It is the blanket of our summer's gown.

Coming winter will again turn life sane,
There may be greenness to the land again
Instead of drought there may be floods.
All washed down the stormwater drain.

-----
Circles

Some live their lives hand to hand
Leaving a trail like a long riband
Of wagon wheels on virgin plain
Or footprints in the fresh beach sand.

The wind will raise the grassy plain.
Some have lives travelled full of pain
But tides will wash away pain and sin
And leaves all fresh without a stain.

Fields that are planted again begin
To show crops budding deep within
Singing promise of a harvest tune
Then fields become a weeded skin.

Seasons come and go like the moon
And life circles round far too soon
When life ripens, then rots with age
And wisdom changes to buffoon.

-----
Hellbent

Noises in the dark

Children, hear those noises in the park
Tis the werewolf's time now it is dark
Dripping fangs, your fear is stark
On sweet young meat it sets its mark

The stealthy pattering of the beast
Nought can save you, too late for priest
Know that soon you will be the feast
And Hell will welcome a new deceased.

Creatures of the night

Cry loudly now, creatures of the night
See leathered wings beat in the moonlight
The maidens open window comes in sight
Changing quietly he moves into her sight.

Hair askew in slumber on her bed she lies
At first there is fear, then loves surprise
Her throat, her soul she offers, invites his bite
Eternal life, but death to see the sunrise.

Bodies joined in passion their flesh ignite
With vows exchanged in hellish might
A Queen created of Darkness Flight
Cry loudly now, creatures of the night.

-----
Man and Maid

As the bird wheels lazily in the sky
A young man watches it on high
In the meadow lying on the grass
Seeing time and clouds go by.

There is no time there is no place
The scene is set what e'r the race
For boy and maid must ever meet
For beauty is she and lovely her face.

The maiden now rides down the street
Peddles spinning on winged feet
To meet her love, her soul-mate
Already her heart misses its beat

Unaware of what we know as fate
The maid casually opens the gate
Unknowing, uncaring of what will befall
Longingly kisses her youthful date.

Together they lay this maid and boy
Her mood no longer shy and coy
Exquisite pain bring out her cries
Falling from her face, her tears of joy

With happiness and love, time flies
And barely with the blink of eyes
Time has flown and love has grown
Lovers, loving next to each other lies.

Kisses over, at each other thrown
Each night of love from dusk till dawn
Together they lie, this maid by his side
Till seeds so easily thrown have grown

So with the maid he did abide
Rather than lose her, would have died
A man so strong and full and light
That he was there when she cried.

He was there and held her tight
With each pain throughout the night
And held his daughter in his arms
As his lover carried on her fight,

But Fates too vicious with her charms
And tore his lover from his arms
Dashing his life to smithereens
Sending heaven into alarms.

He held his daughter to his breast
In addition, a holy vow he did attest
That forever he would love his child
And whatever comes would do his best.

No longer a man, young and wild
However, hard as steel and temper mild
Now able to take life as rusted tin
The roughest edges off him filed.

Again, time and fate must step in
Now we hear the warriors din
He has no chance, he has no choice
But protect his love from others sin.

So in uniform he lends his sound
And listens to the cannons pound
Screaming mates give out their voice
Death and maim a cacophony around.

Machine guns sound their rat, tat, tat
Incessant, laying everyone flat
But some get up and move apace
But still it goes on, dat, dat, dat.

The years go on, trench and lice
Mortars and mines and other vice
The man survives as others die
Scars attest each deathly dice.

A thousand nights, a thousand dreams
Horror mixing with peaceful scenes
But war must end and peace again
And home the warriors ship now steams.

The ANZAC dreams are bitter pain
And still return each night again,
But softer with the sands of time
Memory lessened with each grain.

Bathing eventually removes the grime
And washes away the trenches slime
But not the blood and inside scars
And the hideous facts of legal crime

Caused by mans incessant wars
Creating building a million corps
Of each dead lover, husband, son
Laying spent on these hellish whores.

But eventually sanity sees the sun
Allows "normal life" begin again
Lives and loves allowed to grow
And bear the fruit so dearly won.

First time for years he sees his doe
It takes a while for each to know
But blood and love soon over come
What fate has ever dared to throw.

The little child holds under thumb
A warrior father stern and glum
Remembering to love once more
Her smile soon makes his heart strum.

As she grows, he sees once more
The woman that he loved and bore
Their child, but cruel Fate made die.
His heart still swells, still sore.

As the bird wheels lazily in the sky
A young man watches it on high
In the meadow lying on the grass
Seeing time and clouds go by.

-----
Night Spirit

The lonely night draw swiftly down
covering the world in a deep black gown
creeping softly in without a sound
as I sleep alone in this distant town.

I close my eyes, but sleep can't be found
till your loving spirit wraps itself around
and I'm covered and warm wrapped in love
an ethereal blanket keeps me safe and sound.

Distances shrink in somnambulistic pleasure
as I dream and picture warm nights together
feelings shared, tied with silken thread
two lover inseparate, joined in love forever

Throughout the night our vows of love attested
and with the morning light love finds us blessed

-----

Nocturna

The night is dark and you're alone. In fear you hear the night beasts moan See the shadows creep along the wall In fear you cringe as ghosties groan. Spine chills as the werewolves howl Rotting flesh makes the air most foul The night is dark and you're alone. Once more you hear the hooting owl. In terror you reach for the phone The line is dead, all help has flown And evil wagers for your soul Finally reaping what you have sown Visions now remembered from the past No forgiveness now the dice are cast No priestly rites can save your souls For Hell as claimed you whole at last One flash of light and a waking poke Relief floods through as tears you choke Suddenly all sense has gone and This is your first taste of a satanic joke.

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