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Asian Poetry Form, dVerse Poets Pub, FormForAll, Gay Cannon, poetic form, poetry prompt, Raivenne, Than Bauk
Hello Everyone . Welcome to another FormForAll. Raivenne is introducing us to a new Asian form today. I think it’s really interesting and I think you will too. Here’s Raivenne:
Than Bauk – Image from Wikicommons
Hello fellow dVerse Poets quothe the Raivenne!!
My thanks to Gay for inviting me, please bear with my first time hosting here at dVerse.
I simply love challenging myself by writing in various poetry forms. Can I still create within the constrictions? I always try to conform to the rules provided for any given form a attempt, but I am not above (beneath?), a little form tweaking to get it to do what I want and still be true as possible to the form. Some forms are so strict even I cannot cheat them. This is especially true of short forms such as today’s form the Than Bauk.
The Than-Bauk is a three line “climbing rhyme” poem of Burmese origin. Conventionally a witty saying or epigram, it’s even shorter than a haiku, but a lot more structured. Each Than-Bauk is three lines of four syllables each with the rhyme on the fourth, third and second syllables of each line respectively.
O. O. O. a.
O. O. a. O.
O. a. O. O.
Image from Wikicommons –
I wonder why
minutes fly by
on my days off!
© Kahnieke:ha
Than-Bauks can be chained together to form a longer poem where the last syllable of the third line starts the rhyme of the next…
O. O. O. a.
O. O. a. O.
O. a. O. b.
O. O. b. O.
O. b. O. c.
O. O. c. O.
O. c. O. etc.
FOR WHILE SHE WEEPS
Sorrow – from Wikicommons
For while she weeps,
Sorrow keeps as
pain sweeps her heart.
Torn apart as
it thwarts the chance
to romance the
soul’s dance that’s stilled.
Passions killed by
tears spilled in ache.
Spirit breaks. It’s
a snake that crawls,
As it sprawls there
then squalls and rails
driving nails, it
assail’s heart’s halls.
But it falls hard
Soon all hurts slow.
Pain will go, and
she’ll know – she’s free.
© Raivenne
or you can “staircase” them…
O. O. O. a.
O. O. a. O.
O. a. O. b.
O. O. O. b.
O. O. b. O.
O. b. O. c.
O. O. O. c.
O. O. c. O.
O. c. O. etc.
Reynolds Garrick – Between Tragedy and Comedy
Act One
We ran, we walked
Held hands, talked life.
Soft mocked love words.
We felt the words,
Of the birds song.
Words heard and sang.
Love songs we sang.
The phone rang; hi
Heard bang; no sound.
Fear of the sound,
Home ward bound; shook.
Folks round by her.
Shocked I saw her.
Cop words slur, heard.
Life blurs, they’ve sinned.
Rot for you’ve sinned!
Now back friend, see
He grins, he’s changed.
Love thoughts, he changed.
shots close range; yikes!
He’s strange, I run.
Gone, I did run.
There’s no fun; freed.
Act one, we’re done.
© Trewir Wintlek
Since I just know the one stanza Than Bauk is far too easy, for this session, let’s try either the chain or staircase versions of the Than Bauk form. Have fun!
dVerse 
Welcome everyone. I’m so excited to introduce you to Raivenne today and this versatile and interesting form from Burma. It can be written short and incisively like a haiku, or built into longer and more complex shapes by chaining or staircasing the rhymes.
We’re serving up drinks of the season to suit your taste today, the leaves are changing, the sky is cloudy and the holidays are coming on. Time to try a new poem.
Welcome to the Pub!
This form is really out there, ancient as haiku, begging for rendering in modern perceptions. I chose the staircase form, and stopped at seven stanzas; another good time at dVerse pub!
omg this one was hard…mine is slightly coherrent….i need much more practice…but i def appreciate the challenge of it….dang brevity….smiles…
I found it challenging too, Brian – will be over soon.
I really liked what you did, Brian!
haha….will be over soon…ah being done writing it, it is over…now i get to read what others struggled to create….lol…gay, i actually write my first haiku ever on sunday..i am trying to do short form…
one problem i had is i got done and realize i zig zagged my rhyme and had to go back and do it over again…oy….smiles…was fun…and frustrating…lol
Agree with you, Brian. Tough little b@stard of a form to work within, but fun, and when you finally get something that makes sense and sounds good–wow–worth all the cussing.
smiles…i went for the single stanza version…and believe me, it was challenge enough…ha… happy form for all everyone, thanks for bringing raivenne into the pub gay..and thanks raivenne for a wonderful article.. and i’m in awe at how many poetry forms exist on this planet…would’ve never imagined that there are so many…and who knows what the martians and all the others still have out there…smiles…will be back in the evening after work to read and comment…see you then..
I had fun with this deceptively simple little form. Bravo to those of you who extended past the first 3 lines–I found that difficult enough, but I did enjoy playing with the form. What fun…
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Very interesting form, and looks like a fun challenge. I will see what I can do–writing has been on the back burner for awhile. Thanks, Raivenne, and Gay, for the intriguing prompt.
Looking forward to it, Joy. See you later.
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Beautiful, fun form. I’ll try, but no promises. I’m stuck these days…visited my mom who seems to decline so much every time I see her. But the bonus was, had a fun dinner with our own Claudia last Friday. And looking forward to spending Saturday here with her in the desert!
So glad you two got to meet. She is such a beautiful spirit. I love her so much and I know we’d all have the greatest time if we could get together. Thanks Victoria!
smiles. so cool you got to meet c…she is a pretty amazing woman to hang out with for a bit…
so looking forward to meeting you on saturday victoria.. and feeling so privileged to have met you as well gay and brian
wonderful prompt! for some reason a tough nut to crack for me this time… but i fought. 😉 very interesting form, really like it!
A great article and a monster of a form for a person in love with polysyllabic words (me). I definitely chewed on the pencil finding a way forward. That said I took a bit of leeway on the rhyme as I couldn’t bear too much. I’ll definitely have to try again. Thank you for the challenge!
(bowing)
My husband’s on vacation this week so it’s been a little more challenging to write. Thanks for introducing this form.
hey that is a good thing to have the hubby home right? smiles…very nicely played laurie…
Glad you got a chance. Great poem!
Don’t really know why I went so murderously dark on this, but so it is. Really stretched me out–reading the above comments makes me feel good, since I am not the only one finding this form trickier than it first appears!
cheese doodle dust
finger crust tracks
of (BUSTED) prints
see you drove me to stress eating writing this…ha…actually this one i wrote in the margin of the page i decimated trying to write mine…smiles…
haha, nice one!
Hey you didn’t leave any for the rest of us who are still waiting to lick our fingers! Funny and clever one here, Brian! I like having fun with these forms!!
haha awesome. glad i came back for a quick peek!
thanks ladies…there may be a few doodles left…smiles…
Hahahaha! Me likey!
Thank you, Gay and Raivenne for a fascinating ‘new’ form challenge. I don’t promise anything just yet – it’s been a long couple of days – but I promise to try it and at least read the contributions.
Thanks Viv. Glad you came by today!
Had fun with this one…though tricky. Love these short forms! Thanks to Gay and Raivenne!
catching bodhi then be off for a bit…catch up to all later….
You ought to know that I am in deep trouble when I begin to rhyme “adorn” with “sweet corn” or, behold, a “French horn”. Of course, I won’t blame it on my inability to rhyme, after all I’m such a pretentious language poet 🙂 Or, better still, it’s just too darn late here in Spain—midnight when I get these “fun” assignments from my @dVerse buddies, oh these gluttons for punishment. Seriously, this is fun…like…like that proverbial orthodontist visit. 🙂 Great fun. Thanks guys.
This made me smile – and agree with you completely!
hahaha on my way over….after that list of words i cant wait to see what you came up with…smiles…
I’d say this was one of the toughest forms I have TRIED to write to. Emphasis on the word TRIED. It was definitely a challenge, but a challenge isn’t a bad thing. Thanks, Gay and Raivenne!
This intriques and tempts me because the rules are simple and very clear. I’m still working on mine, but look forward to go on the trail to see Than Bauk! Thank you Gay and Raivenne!
nice….glad you are trying…dont give up….took me hours on and off today to get my meager bit done…
Ha! Who said a single stanza was easy? Wonderful article and a great challenge. I will write for this tomorrow (maybe), a long day left my rhymer on the side of the highway.
Truly enjoyed learning this form and am excited to try. Thanks, Raivenne
smiles…i too thought that even a single stanza is tough…was enough of a challenge for me…smiles
ugh, its a beast…but we are open until midnite tomorrow so that should be enough time beth…hehe…if your rhymer needs a tow on the side of the road there let me know…
alright, heading out for the evening poets…be back in the morning to see who else is up for the challenge….
thank you for the challenging and interesting form…..i didn’t realize how much of a free writer i am…
Hello,
Mine’s up now. A very interesting and really challenging form this time! Enjoyed the readings very much, thanks.
This was such a fun form. Had a blast reading everybody, really hoping many more will link up overnight and in the morning. Thanks for doing this tonight Raivenne.
I have to say that I found this the hardest I have yet attempted, and I am far from satisfied with the result. However, I have posted it and will be back shortly to see what the others made of it! Thanks for giving the old grey matter a bit of exercise – it seems it needed it!
ha. good morning dave…and def enjoyed yours….coffee all around and hope everyone has a great friday!
Have not done this in a while. Thanks, this is great exercise.
yeah…thought it was a great exercise as well…
played catch up with the overnights…now on way to work…last day in the anaheim office…can’t believe how quickly these four weeks flew by… will go to the movies after work with a colleague and see the new james bond.. which will be a great closure of the working week…smiles
Wow. Wow. Wow. Stretching the muscles for this one ladies! Be gentle!
I have been standing preparing and cooking in the kitchen all morning and collapsed in front of my computer for a rest an hour and a half ago and saw this prompt. Couldn’t resist it and now I must get ready for people arriving. Thanks for a fun prompt 🙂
A good introduction to this form, Ravienne. I ran across this a few months ago, but hasn’t tries it yet. I, just for fun, included a few extra rungs.
Well, I really enjoyed the exercise. I’ve had 11 folks visit already and like my method. So I just linked an .xls file (Excel) to help others right this form — a little late, perhaps, but it may help next time.
Check out my post to get the “Than-Bauk Form Aid”
happy friday night folks….just swinging in to catch the last couple…still a few hours to go for those still strugling…
Just want to say thanks to everyone for writing and linking for this challenge. It certainly did transform itself in your hands into some fairly incredible poems. Big shout out to all of you. Stay tuned for next time when Sam Peralta mans the FormForAll bar!
Hello to all.
I dangle a sneaky little prompt called a “Than Bauk” knowing dVerse would be more than capable and true to form, you did not disappoint. I was enthralled by the myriad paths of creativity with the confines of such a strict form. My thanks again to everyone who jumped up and took a nibble at the form.
Really cool prompt with such amazing examples. I’ll have to try this on my own, having missed the prompt. As always, I appreciate the marvelous instruction we receive here at the Pub.
Thanks, Gay, for the introduction to this form…I’ve been out of commission for a bit, but I am going to save this and work on one for another post, another time..it should be fun;)