I wrote my Than Bauk poem, Dark is the Night, in response to Val’s/Murisopsis National Poetry Month of Poetry Round the World Scavenger Hunt. Than Bauk poetry hails from Myanmar (Burma).
Please click here to read the details of the poetry form and prompt for Day 22.
22. Myanmar (Burma): Than Bauk – A syllabic form with chained internal rhymes. There are 3 lines per stanza and a syllable count of 4 syllables per line. The rhyme is the last syllable of the 1st line rhymes with the third syllable of the 2nd line and the second syllable of the 3rd line. The stanzas are chained together by using the fourth syllable of the 3rd line to start another tercet. I’m going to suggest a theme that moves from night to day, or life to death, or sad to happy, or even love to hate – you get to pick!
For my poem, I chose the theme that moves from night to day.
Dark is the Night
Dark is the night
Candlelight burns
To fright demons
Slow burning wick
The flame flickers…
and quickly dies.
Can’t see a thing
I hear ding-dong
bells ringing loud.
Help! There’s a ghost!
I am most scared,
and post-haste flee
Under the bed
The ghost said, Ooooooo,
You’re dead. I screamed!
I wait till dawn.
With a yawn, creep,
Foresworn to see…
Sunshine to clear
away fear and
I hear birds sing.
~
Lesley Scoble, April 2024
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you Muri / Val for inspiring me to attempt a Than Bauk poem. I enjoyed writing this (new to me) poetry form from Myanmar (Burma) for your
National Poetry Month of Poetry Round the World Scavenger Hunt.
Image credit
I instructed Copilot Image Creator to illustrate my poem. I think it did an amazing job.
Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright, (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.
LesleyScoble.com 
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