Wednesday, March 23, 2005

a miniature form

Via Abu-Lughod:

The Ghinnawa is a 15 syllable couplet divided into units: 1234/56789.

But it is unspooled thus: 78/78/789/78/6789/78/78/6789/78/78/781/1234/78/78/56/56789 sixteen lines).

An example given in the book:
    'Tears increased, oh Lord
    the beloved came to mind in the time of sadness'

which unspools into:

in the time
in the time
in the time of sadness
in the time
beloved in the time of sadness
in the time
in the time
beloved in the time of sadness
in the time
in the time
in the time tears
tears increased oh Lord
in the time
in the time
beloved came to mind
the beloved came to mind in the time of sadness


One of mine is here.


m.