Category Archives: Challenges and Writing Prompts

Than-Bauk 11-12

11-
i could go on
but it’s wrong to
be long winded

12-
mind your business
I’ll address mine
confess nothing

~kat

Than-bauk Poems – This Burmese poetic form is pithy and often clever, comprising just three four-syllable lines. The last syllable of the first line rhymes with the third syllable of the second line, as well as the second syllable of the third line.


Than-Bauk 9-10

9-
over the years
joy and tears…a
life clearly lived

10-
tell me something
anything, but
charming untruths

~kat

Than-bauk-This Burmese poetic form is pithy and often clever, comprising just three four-syllable lines. The last syllable of the first line rhymes with the third syllable of the second line, as well as the second syllable of the third line.


Than-bauk Poems 4-5

4-
mourning dove coos
at dusk sooth me
my cue to breathe

5-
how green the earth
with new birth verve
what mirth, spring bliss

~kat

Than-bauk

This Burmese poetic form is pithy and often clever, comprising just three four-syllable lines. The last syllable of the first line rhymes with the third syllable of the second line, as well as the second syllable of the third line.


Than-bauk Poems 1-2-3

1-
you make me wait
always late, i’m
irate…you’re rude

2-
don’t say, “love you”
only true love
will do…show me

3-
it’s exhausting
me, watching you
sleeping…awake

~kat

Introducing the Than-bauk! I started to give this challenging little poetry form a go yesterday. I must warn you…it’s addictive! Before I knew it I had an entire stream of Than-bauk poems. Here are three to get this week started.

Than-bauk – This Burmese poetic form is pithy and often clever, comprising just three four-syllable lines. The last syllable of the first line rhymes with the third syllable of the second line, as well as the second syllable of the third line.


pink moon

pink moon

bloom
flower moon
I hardly noticed
day fading into night
bright

~kat

I have enjoyed spending a week with the Elfchen. Come Monday looking forward to a new, new poetry form to practice…the Than-bauk! With three four syllable lines in total, easy-peasy right?! Ah, but there is a bit of a twist! Stay tuned! 😊

The Elfchen, known as an “elevenie” in English, the German elfchen (which loosely translates to “little eleven” or “wee eleven”) contains 11 words separated into five lines: one word, then two, then three, then four, then one again. The first line of an elfchen is traditionally some single-word concept, thought, or thing, which the rest of the poem describes—what it does, how it looks, how it makes you feel, whatever strikes your fancy. The last line is often a synonym or some other overarching reflection of your first word.