Three of my Baja Poems that may be worthy for inclusion in your
publication.
AFTER
THE HURRICANE — A GHAZAL
by
John Brooke
Yield
to the hurricane, you must, Arroyo,
lie
wanton with wet desert lust, Arroyo.
Parade
your charismatic writhing snake dance,
uncoil
earth passions, come combust, Arroyo.
Mountains
of rain thunder into your being,
rocking
and rolling with each thrust, Arroyo.
Brutally
filling your scorched sandy bed,
dirty
rocks rollick in disgust, Arroyo.
Weeping
waters cascade rushing out to sea,
flooded
with tears, a breach of trust, Arroyo.
Juiced
with rain you're rapidly over the falls,
by
us humans you are cussed, Arroyo.
Until
next season I babble dry and parched,
Brooke
now a dribble, once robust, Arroyo.
The Ghazal Form
SHER: An odd number of independent
couplets (shers), five or more, each of which is complete by itself and
autonomous. This is the most consistently (often the only) rule followed in
modern English-language ghazals.
BEHER: Metric consistency, or counted
syllabics. There are 19 beher in Urdu, but they can be classified as long,
medium and short. The lines of each sher should be of equal beher or
length.
RADIF: The second end word of each sher
should repeat according to the scheme: aa, ba, ca, da, ea, etc.
KHAAFIYAA: Internal rhyme in each line of
the first couplet, and in the last line of each couplet In Urdu, this is the
most rigid rule, yet is usually ignored in English.
MAHKTA: An optional mahkta or signature
final couplet, where the poet's name is used in the second or third person. This
is often used rhetorically, as if the poet was talking to him/herself. Many
traditional ghazaL poets (shayar) used pen names
Syllables
per line: 11
Rhyme
scheme: aa, ba, ca, da, ea, fa, ga
La Paz Carnaval
Unembarrassed affections fill curb-to-curb en La Paz del Malecón
Shuffling jostling swaying hip hipping in opposite musical flows
Tight bumping padres-madres-niños-gringos cheerfully dance on
Many have traveled from distant arroyo mountain rocky ranchos
Shuffling jostling swaying hip hipping in opposite musical flows
Flotillas awash in glittering jovens moving as one sexy dancer
Many have traveled from distant arroyo mountain rocky ranchos
To flow in this cacophonous flashing corridor on tropic-of-cancer
Floats each awash in glittering jovens moving as one sexy dancer
Ten individual sets volley out musical souls in hi-tech reverberations
To flow in this cacophonous flashy corridor on the tropic-of-cancer
Brass-oompah-pahs-strings-winds-accordions musical celebrations
Ten individual sets hurling out musical souls in hi-tech reverberations
Hundred meters between groups of eager, musicians in black tuxedos
Horns-strings-windy-oompah-pahs-rapping-out musical celebrations
Pumping volumes of brightly colorful Mex-rap-mariachi-romaticos
Hundred meters between groups of eager musicians in black tuxedos
Necklaces of concessions rugs-T-shirts-dolls-ring-tossing ¡oles!
Pumping volumes of brightly colorful Mex-rap-mariachi-romaticos
Mexican foods from pozoles-moles-tacos-sopes-ubiquitous frijoles
Necklaces of concessions corn-candy-cervesa-fresca-hotdog ¡oles!
Tightly bumping padres-madres-niños-gringos en la calla dance on
Mexican foods from pozoles-moles-tacos-sopes-ubiquitous frijoles
Unembarrassed Carnaval affections overflow La Paz del Malecón
BRIEF
DESCRIPTION OF THE PANTOUM
The “pantun” is a Malaysian poetic form that was introduced to the West by the French novelist, essayist, and poet, Victor Hugo (1802-1885), hence the French spelling, “pantoum.”
Written in quatrains (four-line stanzas) the pantoum repeats the second and forth lines of each stanza as the first and third lines of the following stanza, respectively. This pattern is continued for as many stanzas as wanted. At the end repeat the first and third lines of the first stanza as the fourth and second lines of the last stanza. The pantoum begins and ends with the same line. The pantoum does not require rhyming end words.
The “pantun” is a Malaysian poetic form that was introduced to the West by the French novelist, essayist, and poet, Victor Hugo (1802-1885), hence the French spelling, “pantoum.”
Written in quatrains (four-line stanzas) the pantoum repeats the second and forth lines of each stanza as the first and third lines of the following stanza, respectively. This pattern is continued for as many stanzas as wanted. At the end repeat the first and third lines of the first stanza as the fourth and second lines of the last stanza. The pantoum begins and ends with the same line. The pantoum does not require rhyming end words.
What is the meaning
of life?
By
John Brooke
The trees, plants and
all the animals know.
Every creature of the
seas, lakes, rivers and creeks knows.
Shit, even stinking
cockroaches, insects, and basic bacteria know.
And while we're busy
killing every living thing, we ask ourselves,
What is the meaning
of life?
First
published Poems Niederngasse, Switzerland 2005
12/11/04
© Brooke 19 Lines
