30 Poems in 30 Days with 30 Forms
Urdu Poetry
Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and an official language of five Indian states. Urdu poetry has many different forms with origins in Arabic and Persian traditions. And Urdu poetry tends to have strict rules. I chose to play with the poetic form of a Ghazal (pronounced “guzzle”). A Ghazal is an Arabic love poem. The poet might choose one concept to incorporate (for example, love, death, spring, etc). But one element of a Ghazal is that each couplet could stand alone as an independent poem. Consider my Ghazal as a variation on this form.
The Ghazal is a collection of couplets. Typically the couplets range from 6-24 syllables in each line. There is a rhyme scheme of aA, bA, cA, dA, eA, etc. with the first and second lines of the first couplet incorporating the rhyme. In subsequent couplets, only the second line uses the original rhyme. Similarly, if a refrain is used, it appears at the end of both lines in the first couplet and in the second line of subsequent couplets. And finally, the author will insert their name into the last line of the ghazal. Since my poem is a mask poem, you will find the name being used is not mine.
Patricia Franz writes picture books and poetry. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 