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Rubaiyat of Time

Missing image

 

Through fifty rushing ruba'i we’ll explore

In time with time dimensions deep before

Mirage half-life momentous draws to end,

Exits chores, leaves living open door. 

  

Time headlong, helter-skelter spins, its hum,
Is energy advancing, drummer, drum,

Merging, surging, fresh emerging twined
E
ons seeking equilibrium.
 
T
hrust : force on course, false errors overcome,
I
f upset great equation’s springs back plum,
M
usters flux, reflux links recombined
E
cho-systems spectral tuned as one.
 
T
ime from nano into nano fuelled
I
ntersperses ages heated, cooled 
M
yths common entrance are to seasons' round
E
merging, surging, then decay respooled.
 
T
hus what anticipation seems is sense pre-schooled,
I
ndependent thought, tradition jewelled
M
arred by traditions with their strict surround,
E
mphatic, innovations overruled
 
T
hough new cycles progress must address
I
nventively fresh challenges to guess
M
anner, method best to test, advance,
E
liminating errors, maladdress.
 
T
rends spendthrift stimulating short-term stress,
I
nterests vested common sense transgress, 
M
odus operandi : status symbols
E
levated icons for 'success'.
 
T
ime nests birds of feather, two nurture four,
I
ncreasing future generations' store,
M
arking more for epidemic cull,
E
ver higher populations soar.
 
T
ortoise Time of fable overtakes  
I
mpetuousity, Man’s d[r]ead mistakes
M
ake room for Future feeling it knows best
E
xpressing needs life gives or greed life takes.
 
T
ime, both tempter and preemptor, bubble-gum
I
nto emptiness explodes summum,
M
ocks limits that the Past thought absolute,
E
ntertains new expectations’ sum.
 
T
ime mutates as necessary to translate
I
nto viral spiral gyral splices fate,
M
onkey makes of man’s pride - grave mistake -
E
ver ambitions’ mountains must negate
 
T
his leads to more selection, all before
I
s run through mill ‘til evolution’s draw 
M
ocks once again of mice and men their niche
E
rgo cogito’ can’t help brave, squaw.
 
T
ime destroys its own foundations, reconstructs
I
ntuitively tunes to pattern ducts,
M
ainstays must change or mainsprings may unwind,
E
ver on advances spiral-scrum.
 

Time, master’s master, slave’s slave may become,
I
n eyelid twinkling, beat of dreaded drum,
M
ost by the wayside fall, we never find
E
xtra innings, silver lining, come.
 
T
ime spurns prestige, lord/leige turns cycle score
I
nto room for rust, boom bust, tomb sure,
M
eek can’t rise through wise disguise, dice thrown
E
vacuate none from predestined maw.
 

Tide scorns pride, zenith ride descent prepares,
I
dyll’s flags, tails way no more, hot air’s
M
uted, bugle’s cry falls silent soon
E
nd of glory, end of story bares.
 
T
hrough needle’s eye who wheedles, answers finds,
I
ssues safely free from mortal binds,
M
easures leisure, pleasure’s treasure store
E
ncore as an example.  All unwinds.
 

Timely opportunities help draw
I
nstant conclusions from confusion sore,
M
istake not these for panacea rich,
E
fforts seem vain, soon sink beneath Time’s roar.
 
T
ime, an excellent musician, tune’s life’s play,
I
s clay pot and playful potter, wind-spring stay
M
ocking mortals’ puny portals which
E
cho ego phase for one brief day.
 

Texts once held sacred timeline’s sickle cell
I
dentifies as custom, hidebound, fell,
M
essiahs’ message welcome overstay,
E
xpressing greybeards plays new ways expel.
 
T
ime’s reasons most mysterious keep mum,
I
n/on Cause and Effect streams’ go and come,
M
atrix grid gridlocks convictions ‘sure’,
E
ach fresh vibration rearranges sum.
 

Though if the sum itself stays ever dumb

Interjections Man may make sound rum, 
M
uch misaligned or out of kilter drawn
Ever onwards, darker depths must plumb.

 

Time, predator and dater, shreds to crumb
I
ntestate Life’s bread, severs thread, spares none,

Magician fly, man hard may try, yet vain

Ephemeral pomp stomps, must fast succumb.
 

Time knows no sin, coeval with all spin, 
I
nnings ends, beginnings new birth in,
M
utating wicketwards in double bind,
E
ssence waxes, wanes, chains fast unpin. 
 
Time, thirsty, swallows all, whose hollow hall

Icarus echoes, pride before the fall,
M
ortgaged Tomorrow may stay unredeemed,
E
mpty Today - shrill trumpet’s curtain call.
 

Tomorrow ?  Spend tonight in merriment –

In quickstep dance whose flow seeks not ‘what’s meant’

Maybe man’s dream-stream theme itself’s enough

Entertainment ‘til all time is spent.

 
T
rip through chance dance, enjoy uncertain ball,
I
ncandescent pleasure take; great, small,
M
ust equal into dust descend, thrust out -
E
qual ? When sorrow knocks what may befall ?
 

To no false prophet, priest or sect hell-bent,

Idol gold, bow down before, assent,

Mistrust those who True path alone proclaim,

Evidence elsewhere shows they seek rent. 

 

Then care no fig for bowler, bat or ball,
I
ndependent live, for all in thrall
M
ake their own fears fear’s breeding ground, time lent

Extends no karmic guarantees atall.

   

Temptation which would substitute free flings

In free-for-all enjoyment lacking stings,

More often turns to disappointment’s piques,

Eagerness to jaded taste, waste wings.

 

Turn down attempts to bind mind, concrete slings, 
Ideal are not, knots tie, surround with strings,

Meet all events with good sense and avoid

Enslavement to crowd’s cause or forceful kings. 

 

Time, feathers furled, stands waiting in the wings,

In observation, - what the future brings

May prove to be, or not to be, why care ?
E
njoy today, bet not on better things.

 

Today rejoice, the Heaven here that sings 

Ignore what others term Time’s wanton stings,
M
ulti-modal melody, Life’s gold,
E
spouse nor envy, nor beholden rings.
 

Thus born, we breathe, we suffer, then we die,
I
n vain we'd peek, train seek to reason why, -
M
eek finite to peak Infinite appeals
Each never gains the ghost of a reply.
 

 

Torn between two stools we seethe or sigh,
Impatient call on Fate to rectify.

Marked Book of Judgement which our conduct seals

Early, late, those snug as bug too die.
 

Trust or deceive, we breathe, and then good bye,
I
n debt or credit wreath last stifled cry,
M
ortality turns to progeniture,
E
arnest when 'moving finger' beckons nigh.
 

The bold, who Death’s cold clutches dares defy
I
s in same boat as cowards who comply,
M
aggot Future ? changeling which conceals
E
nd destiny - what may that signify ?
 

Through birth, earth berth, we struggle to explain
I
nner loneliness, or entertain
M
yths of genes which constantly evolve
Eternal karmic chain’s revolving plane.
 

 

Tocsin toxin, all that waxes wanes,
I
f naught to nothing adds, who counts Man’s gains ?
May fallen angels ever rise again,

Enchantment’s spells rewarding their past pains ?  

 

Tomorrow, fifty, thrice ten thousand years,

Is finite space, no trace inscribed appears,

Muse poetic may extend this lease,
Except that Styx fades paper, print, dog ears.

  

Terrified self-circling search for zen
Is all we earn, is all we learn with tears.

Memory stick which stores brain’s data bank

Existentially archived citizen. 

 

Take fear from ear, from eye take tear, evolve,

Insights into age-old quandaries solve,

Man starbound steers, sounds fresh foundations’ berth

Excluding pessimism, cares dissolve. 

 

Though sun still shines upon revolving Earth
Is orbit ovum guaranteed rebirth ?

Methinks all time and space are relative
Einstein challenged timelessness with mirth. 

 

The hair dividing reason from in[s]ane
I
s concept which in context few retain,
M
an’s aim,fame’s flame flares, gutters - who may solve
Existence, seasons’ reasons, joy and pain ? 
 

 

Therefore with mettle grasp Fate’s nettle, rise !
I
n life ‘Chance’ role reversals still supplies
M
agnify these opportunities,
E
mbrace, sin spurn, win earn, create, surprise.
 

Time swiftly swallows all in hollow hall,

Idyll: draw trumps 'til trumpet’s curtain call,
Mortal sojourn's short, boon strength soon spent,

Enjoy Life’s bloom before doom’s petals fall. 

 

Tempus fugit – Time is flying – soon
In dust all lie, buy time then die, no moon

Most cook the books, for second try still sigh,

Eliminated, all turn maggots' boon.

 
These stanzas hold no moral, fold no plum,

If fifty, fifty thousand, only one, 

Mirage tidal suicidal, counter signed ?

Egg/chicken drumstick waits string's final strum.

 

 

Author notes

"Rubāʿī" (رباعی is Arabic for "quatrain", and is used to describe a Persian quatrain, or its derivative English form. The plural form of the word, rubāʿiyāt (رباعیات - sometimes anglicised rubaiyat), is used to describe a collection of such quatrains.[1]

There are a number of possible rhyme schemes to the rubaiyat form, e.g. AABA, AAAA.[2] . In Persian verse, a ruba'i is visually only two lines long, its rhyme falling at the middle and end of the lines.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruba%27i

Bracketed words st[r]e[a]m have several meanings ...
stream, steam, stem, team, ream, seem, seam, am


See Edward Fitzgerald's interpretation Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

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    Comment Suggestion: What is your your first impression? Line numbers
    : no Cost: 0 free left 0 points, You have (?) (Line numbers)

Comments

1 - 14 of 14

  • neutron mass
    2 days ago
    ?
    Edit | Reply
    The rubaiyat is a form you appear to favour and excel at among a few others. Time seems more often our enemy than our friend though in relative terms it may be as balanced as all other things in life. Our time overall is as short as you describe, which is why we should make the most of it in as positive a manner as possible.

    Tempus fugit – Time is flying – soon
    In dust all lie, buy time then die, no moon
    Most cook the books, for second try still sigh,
    Eliminated, all turn maggots' boon.

    Great wisdom shown throughout though this stanza appeals to me the most.

  • judyjudyjudy
    September 2
    ?
    Edit | Reply
    I actually meant one quatrain, each by a different person. But I will leave it since I'm the judge!!

    "Exit chores, living open door." What a great line, so resonant.
  • Carnavalis
    April 28

    Edit | Reply
    very nice!! I had to read a couple of the stanzas over again more slowly,butI enjoyed it a lot. You made this flow really well too, thanks for sharing!

    . Rewarded 4

  • JWGoethe
    April 28

    Edit | Reply
    like life itself, this contains images both bleak and uplifting. Great message, love the rhyme, rhythm and flow of this peace. A very mature and satisfying work. Bravo.

  • Ace13
    April 28

    Edit | Reply

    Awesome poem!

    Wow, Just beautiful. It makes you really think that you should appreciate more of what life has to offer

    . Rewarded 4

  • loved it

    Ya i am with isabelwk the last 4 lines says it all Enjoy Life’s bloom before doom’s petals fall,
    draw trumps until shrill trumpet’s curtain call,
    stay caught on Earth is short, boon strength soon spent, -
    Time swiftly swallows all in hollow hall. I Just love it

    . Rewarded 6


  • isabelwk
    April 28

    Edit | Reply

    very satisfying

    I have to say that as a summation, those last four lines wrap it all up for me. But to get to the last four, one must, like life, live it all. As always, you make the most of your words. I like the brackets, for the different words that come out of those brings different meanings to what you are writing.

    . Rewarded 6

  • Nice

    this is very intersting

  • maa gold member
    April 28

    Edit | Reply
    this rubaiyat reminds me of "brahma revisited" ... it has the same depth and radiates the same wisdom ... a very liberating verse for all those trapped in maya's snare, and unconscious of it ... very recomforting for those entrapped and aware of it ... and very enjoyable for those who have realized that the bondage never existed ...


    maa

    . Rewarded 6

  • Trafalger679Curious silver member
    August 27, 2007

    Edit | Reply

    Superb

    A most excellant interpratation/paraphrase. The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam has long been one of my most favorite poems. Again, extremely well done.


  • JadalaStar
    July 2, 2007

    Edit | Reply
    Wow...lol
    I like what you did with this, over effect very interesting. Time is one of my own favorite subjects.

    Good job
    -JADA

    . Rewarded 4


  • AmazinJason
    February 3, 2007
    Edit | Reply
    That's deep and i like the unique rhyming.


  • ArtFullyMe gold member
    February 3, 2007

    Edit | Reply
    the silicate temporal

    Day and night become the dream:
    innumerable are thoughts which seem,
    to vanish,
    through the frames.

    Fleet as wind, themselves elapsing,
    each life within itself collapsing
    dispersed-
    into what's been.

    Substance without form to hold
    within the mind as we behold
    each moment of the moments,
    or the breathing, of the breath,
    while seconds of the birth and death
    pass beyond no end.

    All that is or comes to pass
    exists within the hour glass,
    amongst the falling sands.

    And one by one-
    each grain aligns
    chaotic patterns of designs,
    that fall too free, insistence clear,
    day by day,
    year by year-
    inside the ever growing sphere
    as moments end
    in circumstance:
    perhaps designed,
    or merely chance.

    The shifting silicate temporal
    as today becomes tomorrow,
    cascading dunes that slip away
    too fast to see, today becoming-
    yesterday.

    yes.....time, is everything.


    . Rewarded 4


  • 0darkAngel0
    January 19, 2007

    Edit | Reply
    i find this piece interesting
    and i enjoyed reading it

    Enjoy Life’s bloom before doom’s petals fall

    maybe i should start enjoying my life then
    thank you for sharing
    good luck