Tag Archives: Challenge

Landay – Day 5

speaking of love…

Do not kiss me only with your mouth
but with your voice, breath, eyes; love me fully, leave no doubt.

My love knows me well, every cell
what I like, what I don’t, things true lovers never tell.

-kat

Landay – The Landay is the poetic form of Afghan women. The poem is 22 syllables long and contains 2 lines. 9 syllables in the first and 11 in the second. Subjects can include, but are not limited to, war, separation, homeland, grief, or love.

Pronunciation/Etymology. In Pashto, “landay (LAND-ee)” means “short, poisonous snake,” likely an allusion to its minimal length and use of sarcasm. Landays (or landai) often criticize traditions and gender roles.


Landay – Day 4

How are we so different from them, 
our women treated as chattel by power drunken men.

There are women I don’t understand,
who deny themselves, follow in lockstep with a man.

Burning burst of water, blood, and flesh
birthing is a beautiful, exhilarating mess.

~kat

Landay – The Landay is the poetic form of Afghan women. The poem is 22 syllables long and contains 2 lines. 9 syllables in the first and 11 in the second. Subjects can include, but are not limited to, war, separation, homeland, grief, or love.

Pronunciation/Etymology. In Pashto, “landay (LAND-ee)” means “short, poisonous snake,” likely an allusion to its minimal length and use of sarcasm. Landays (or landai) often criticize traditions and gender roles.


Landay – Day 3

The blood of children is on your hands.
You, with your guns, tell me how pro-life
you are again.

~kat

Landay – The Landay is the poetic form of Afghan women. The poem is 22 syllables long and contains 2 lines. 9 syllables in the first and 11 in the second. Subjects can include, but are not limited to, war, separation, homeland, grief, or love.

Pronunciation/Etymology. In Pashto, “landay (LAND-ee)” means “short, poisonous snake,” likely an allusion to its minimal length and use of sarcasm. Landays (or landai) often criticize traditions and gender roles.


The Landay – Day 2

In my youth, god was a mean, old man...
Now I’m old, she’s wise, maternal, like me, a woman.

~kat

Landay – The Landay is the poetic form of Afghan women. The poem is 22 syllables long and contains 2 lines. 9 syllables in the first and 11 in the second. Subjects can include, but are not limited to, war, separation, homeland, grief, or love.

Pronunciation/Etymology. In Pashto, “landay (LAND-ee)” means “short, poisonous snake,” likely an allusion to its minimal length and use of sarcasm. Landays (or landai) often criticize traditions and gender roles.


The Landay – Day 1

Self portrait with a little help from AI on PicsArt. ~kat
Eye contact’s not an invitation, 
when I smile, it’s me being kind, not flirtation.

~kat

Learn more about the Landay and read some amazing examples translated into English HERE!

Landay – The Landay is the poetic form of Afghan women. The poem is 22 syllables long and contains 2 lines. 9 syllables in the first and 11 in the second. (While there is no mention of rhyme in the description above, most of the examples I have seen do include rhyme at the end of each line.) Subjects can include, but are not limited to, war, separation, homeland, grief, or love.

Pronunciation/Etymology. In Pashto, “landay (LAND-ee)” means “short, poisonous snake,” likely an allusion to its minimal length and use of sarcasm. Landays (or landai) often criticize traditions and gender roles.