Poetic Form
On the Indian subcontinent, Amir Khusro made the poetic riddles popular. An example:
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- (In Hindi)
- Nar naari kehlaati hai,
- aur bin warsha jal jati hai;
- Purkh say aaway purkh mein jaai,
- na di kisi nay boojh bataai.
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- English translation
- Is known by both masculine and feminine names,
- And burns up without rain;
- Originates from a man and goes into a man,
- But no one has been able to guess what it is.
The highlight here is nadi, or "river".
And in the form of a contemporary, English language example:
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- Cyanide sibilance.
- Satan’s equivalence.
- Folly to trust a swiller of dust.
- Stripéd ambivalence.
Here, the riddle is merely implied while certain formal structures of poetry are maintained. The riddle above is one of a series of riddle poems following the same poetic rules.
Read more about this topic: Riddle
Famous quotes containing the words poetic form, poetic and/or form:
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