Zen Meditation: Trinet (Letters from the Soul #26)

Eyes closed

Agonized heart

Head feels heavy; ache in body

I sit in the lotus position

Pay attention,

Breathe in 

Breathe out.

Breathe in 

Breathe out

The breathing matters and nothing else

I am conscious and full of life;

Completely blessed,

Divine love

Protecting me.

Anxiety slowly

Ebbs down;

Enveloped in a bubble of tranquility,

All my thoughts jump around it

I smile

I am

Fully free.

© Purba Chakraborty 

30.04.2018

Note: This is a Trinet poem. It is an invented poetry form which has the following specifications:

Line 1: 2 words

Line 2: 2 words

Line 3: 6 words

Line 4: 6 words

Line 5: 2 words

Line 6: 2 words

Line 7: 2 words

Repeat this pattern 2 more times. When centered correctly, it looks like 3 crosses. 

Read Letters from the Soul #25

This is the last post for the #AtoZ2018 and the #BlogchatterA2Z challenge. 

26 days

26 poems

26 poetry forms.

It was a roller-coaster ride experimenting with various forms of poetry every single day in April for my series~ 

"Letters from the soul". 

I hope you enjoyed the series. I am happy that I could complete the challenge successfully.

Yesterday has finally gone! : Quatern (Letters from the soul #25)

Yesterday has finally gone!

And here's a new, roseate dawn

Acting like morphine to your soul

Showing you a new path and goal.

To the pool of tears, don't get drawn

Yesterday has finally gone!

Collect the pieces and rebuilt

your life one more time, bit by bit.

Your cracked heart will rejoin again

The way sun shines after the rain

Yesterday has finally gone!

Do not cling to the spiky thorn.

You will slip again in this road

Tired of carrying grief as load,

But now run like a sporty fawn

Yesterday has finally gone!

© Purba Chakraborty 

28.04.2018

Note: This is a quatern poem. Quatern is a 16 line French poetry form composed of 4 quatrains. It has a refrain that is in a different place in each quatrain. 

A quatern has eight syllables per line and can follow any rhyme pattern. 

The refrain in this poem is: "Yesterday has finally gone!" which you can spot at different places in each quatrain. The rhyme pattern that I followed is aabb ccdd eeff. 

Read Letters from the soul #24

Xeroxed Moments: Rondolet (Letters from the Soul #24)

Xeroxed moments

Are too rare to capture in life;

Xeroxed moments

Makes one static with no movements

Gliding with the tide feels alive,

Cannot offer newness to thrive

~Xeroxed moments. 

© Purba Chakraborty 

27.04.2018

Note: This is a Rondolet. This is a French poetry form consisting of a single septet (7 line poem) with 2 rhymes and one refrain: AbAabbA. A is the refrain. A rhymes with a, b with b. The refrain is of 4 syllables and the other lines are of 8 syllables. 

Read Letters from the Soul #23

Water and Love : Sedoka (Letters from the Soul #23)

Mocktails cannot quench
The thirst of a tired tourist;
Only water can do that

Love alone can soothe

Burns and scars of the journey;

It deep cleanses like water.

© Purba Chakraborty 

26.04.2018

Note: This is a Sedoka poem. Sedoka is an unrhymed Japanese poetry form with the syllable count: 5-7-7 and 5-7-7. A Sedoka often addresses the same subject from two perspectives. 

Read Letters from the Soul #22

Violet Sky: Monorhyme (Letters from the Soul #22)

The hour of change is like the violet twilight sky

Explosion of shifting colours that can beautify

your life amid some uncertainty and goodbye;

The ride can seem turbulent and might terrify

But aren't you born to wear your wings and fly

from the cage of monotony that makes you cry?

Dawn and dusk lends you the magic eye

To recognize change as a divine lanternfly

That will illuminate your path as you walk by.

© Purba Chakraborty 

25.04.2018

Note: This is a monorhyme poem. It is a very simple poetry form where all the lines have the same end rhyme. 

Read Letters from the Soul #21

Umbrella of God : Shape Poetry (Letters from the Soul #21)

No

typhoon,thunder,tempest

and hurricane can make you tremble;

They cannot break your spirit when you

stand dauntlessly under the umbrella of God.

The divine power that created you will not only

shield you from the furor and bedlam, but will teach

you

how

to

play

in 

the

rain

and

how 

to 

talk

           to  storm

       the       

© Purba Chakraborty 

24.04.2018

Note:  This is a shape poetry which is a very inventive poetry form. In this type of poetry, the poem takes on the shape of its subject. As my subject is umbrella, my poem looks like an umbrella. 

Read Letters from the Soul #20 here

Timeless ties: Tetractys (Letters from the soul #20)

Some 

people

touch our lives

with such bright hues

they cannot be wiped from our existence.

Their imprints deepen in our soul daily

like roots of trees

cobalt dyes

timeless

ties.

© Purba Chakraborty 

23.04.2018

Note: This is a Double Tetractys. Tetractys is a poetic form invented by Ray Stebbing, consisting of at least 5 lines with the syllable count of 1,2,3,4,10. 

Double Tetractys consists of 10 lines and follows the syllable count of 1,2,3,4,10,10,4,3,2,1. This poetry form is used to express a complete thought within the mentioned syllable count. 

Read Letters from the soul #19

Slave to the Music: Sonnet (Letters from the soul #19)

The moon changes its face every black night

Seasons shift, whispering some old wise words;

I spot the changes in me without fight

Let go people and things just like free birds.

Music is the only thing I hold on 

Like a forlorn person who owns nothing

A melody for each night and season

Lost memories rekindle as I sing. 

Being a slave to the music gives me hope

I feel alive despite losing a lot;

Like letters stacked inside an envelope

Music makes me feel secure about my thoughts.

I can feel all the people I have loved

In the rhythm of songs, I have savored.

© Purba Chakraborty 

21.04.2018

Note: This is an English sonnet also known as Shakespearean sonnet. It is a poem consisting of 14 lines (3 quatrains and 1 couplet). Each line consists of 10 syllables. The rhyme pattern is abab cdcd efef gg. 

Read Letters from the Soul #18 here

Rainbow within her : Senryu (Letters from the soul #18)

Sundry emotions

Autumn and spring coexist;

Rainbow within her.

She frames the rainbow

In the pristine white pages;

Plays the song of life.

Unaware, she is

How many lives the rainbow

Touches and uplifts. 

© Purba Chakraborty 

20.04.2018

Note: This is a Senryu (also known as human haiku). It is a Japanese poetry form that follows the syllable count of 5-7-5 like that of a haiku. While haiku is used for describing nature, Senryu talks about human emotions or human nature. It is a three-line, unrhymed verse that is usually written in the present tense. 

Read Letters from the soul #17

Questions : Quatrain (Letters from the Soul #17)

Amaranthine questions are spread unevenly

In the enigmatic labyrinth of life;

They tease, mock, and laugh breezily

At the weary travelers trying to thrive. 

The sea waves question the azure sky

The earth questions the restless wanderers;

We flutter from flower to flower like a butterfly

The answers lie hidden in Nature's metaphors.

We are seekers, in search of answers

To the questions that lie on our path;

Life is a stage and we are the performers

Reveling in soul-searching on earth. 

© Purba Chakraborty 

19.04.2018

Note: This is a quatrain. A quatrain is a poem consisting of four lines of verse that follows a fixed rhyming pattern such as abab, aabb or abba. I used the rhyming pattern of abab in this quatrain poem. 

Read Letters from the soul #16

Perfect Symphony: Tanka (Letters from the soul #16)

We all are gypsies

Searching our long, lost abode

On this vast planet;

The home we have left behind

With promise in the last life.

Perfect symphony

Occurs when we find our home

~A place or person;

Our vibe fascinates our tribe

A town feels like paradise.

Our face shines in bliss

Each day feels like a picnic

Perfect symphony

Is the sound of blithe laughter,

Wind chimes tinkling in our soul. 

© Purba Chakraborty 

18.04.2018

Note: This is a set of three Tankas. Tanka poem is a Japanese poetry form, which is similar to haiku. It is a 5 line poem, having the syllable count of 5-7-5-7-7. These poems are written about nature, season, love, sadness and other strong emotions. This form of poetry dates back almost 1200 years ago. It does not have to rhyme. 

Read Letters from the Soul #15

Ode to Misfits (Letters from the Soul #15)

Color outside the dark lines

Discover shapes formed by clouds

Refuse to believe in dogmas 

Write a story of your own.

Let them judge and criticize you

Don't abide by their rules;

In a world full of rhymes

You are a three-line haiku

Understood by only a few

Born to stand out; not to fit in.

Read books that are seldom read

Travel to places less explored

Take refuge in the awning of art

Speak the truth that's been buried.

Know the rules by heart

So that you can bend them;

In a world of pop and hip-hop

You are a classic retro

Everyone should hear your echo

Born to stand out; not to fit in.

Sing and dance on the streets

Laugh and cry, shedding every inhibition

Fly with the wings of your expression

From the stifling cage of the society;

Let them ridicule and taunt you

Wear the badge of a rebel with pride

In a world of emails and text messages,

You are a scented, handwritten letter

That everyone will remember

Born to stand out; not to fit in.

© Purba Chakraborty 

17.04.2018

Note:  An ode is a poem that praises or glorifies a person, thing or place. The word 'ode' comes from the Greek word "aeidein" which means to sing or chant. This is a type of lyric poetry which was widely used by Romantic poets to convey their strongest emotions and sentiments. Rhyming is optional and its stanza forms vary. 

Read Letters from the Soul #14

Notes of Forever : A Nonet (Letters from the Soul #14)

Listen to the notes of forever

In the corridors of your heart;

A random act of kindness,

A gesture of pure love

Stays in the lap of

Mother Nature

Long after

You are

Gone.

© Purba Chakraborty 

16.04.2018

Note: This is a nonet. A nonet poem has nine lines. The first line has 9 syllables, 2nd line has 8 syllables, 3rd line has 7 syllables, 4th line has 6 syllables, 5th lines has 5 syllables, 6th line has 4syllables, 7th line has 3 syllables, 8th line has 2 syllables and 9th line has 1 syllable. Rhyming is optional and the poem can be on any subject. 

Read Letters from the soul #13

Marigold: Minute Poem (Letters from the Soul #13)

A vibrant, yellow marigold

Buds in threshold

A thing of joy

And pure beauty!

Surrounded by rose and jasmine,

It keeps blooming;

Sheer ecstasy

No jealousy.

Its grace lies in simplicity

No self-pity;

Nature has room

For all to bloom.

© Purba Chakraborty 

14.04.2018

Note: This is a minute poem. The minute poem is formatted into 3 stanzas of 8,4,4,4 | 8,4,4,4| and 8,4,4,4 syllables. As the poem has 60 syllables, it is known as a minute poem. The rhyme sequence of the poem is aabb, ccdd, eeff. 

Read Letters from the Soul #12

Let Go : Lyric poem (Letters from the Soul #12)

Broken crayons do color

But broken glass cannot be mended whatsoever;

I saw my fingers bleeding

When, the broken pieces, I tried fixing

I shed blood and tears to make everything right

Alas! They couldn't be my glue tonight.

 (Chorus)

When the jar of my heart overflow

with scars and the white pages turn yellow,

I realize it's time to let go.

The train has to stop in many stations

To reach its desired destination;

I saw my heart getting attached

When, in a station, I relaxed

I paused my journey in pursuit of happiness

Alas! It rusted me and filled me with bitterness.

 (Chorus)

When the jar of my heart overflow

with scars and the white pages turn yellow,

I realize it's time to let go.

It takes time to untangle

When strings of two hearts mingle;

I saw ego silently killing love

When blaming each other fits like a glove

I still tried hearing our heart's melody

Alas! Tangled ropes provide no clarity.

 (Chorus)

When the jar of my heart overflow

with scars and the white pages turn yellow,

I realize it's time to let go.

© Purba Chakraborty 

13.04.2018

Note: This is a song or a lyric poem. It is a traditional poetry form, in which the poet expresses deep, personal feelings. Lyrics in a song contain verses (lines that make up a song) and a chorus ( a repeating verse in a song).

Read Letters from the Soul #11

Keepsake : A Triolet (Letters from the Soul #11)

The waves of time wash away every sign and name

The keepsake blooms in the messy room of the heart;

Rumi's poetry and ghazals in rain ignite the flame,

The waves of time wash away every sign and name

Memories are hazy; the telepathy remains the same. 

The way twin flames communicate is a mystic art

The waves of time wash away every sign and name

The keepsake blooms in the messy room of the heart.

© Purba Chakraborty 

12.04.2018

Note: This is a triolet. It is a French poetry form, dating back to the 13th century. A triolet is a poetry form that consists of 8 lines. Within a triolet, the 1st, 4th and 7th lines repeat and the 2nd and 8th lines repeat as well. The rhyme sequence of a triolet is: ABaAabAB (capital letters represent the repeated lines). 

Read Letters from the Soul #10

Joie de Vivre: Echo Verse (Letters from the Soul #10)

Every moment should be a celebration

Echo - Elation

We met in this non-stop party called "life"

Echo- Thrive

Remember it's not going to last forever

Echo- Savour

We are bohemian visitors in this party

Echo- Hearty

Solving a riddle of success, errors, and trials

Echo- Smiles

Reading a book of joy, love, and pain 

Echo- Rain

The sun shines again with a promise

Echo- Astonish

Duality is its another name

Echo - Game

Let's party, play, sing, and dance

Echo- Trance

Celebrate life; be a lover

Echo- Joie de Vivre

© Purba Chakraborty 

11.04.2018

Note: This is an Echo Verse poem. In an echo verse poem, the last word or syllable in a line is echoed underneath to form a rhyming line. The echo will function as an independent line. 

The echo verse often changes the echoed word in some clever or cynical manner. The last line of the poem is often the title of the poem. 

P.S. Joie de Vivre is a French phrase which means the joy of living. It is often used in English to express an exultation of spirit; a cheerful enjoyment of life. 

Read Letters from the Soul #9

Inked in my heart : Elegy (Letters from the Soul #9)

It's been a year since you are gone

Leaving behind a castle of memories

I visit the castle to meet you

When the weight of the world pulls me down;

I sit, draped in your pashmina shawl

Feeling the warmth of your embrace,

I touch your belongings again and again

To feel your essence

I gaze at your photographs all day

To relive the moments spend with you.

My tears don't know how to stop

Till I fall asleep in the castle of memories;

Your soul gently caresses my soul

I wake up, feeling unburdened.

It's true you are not here

But I can feel you close to me;

Your memories are inked in my heart
And you are just a thought away
As a guardian angel, you look after me

And teach me that love is stronger than death.

 © Purba Chakraborty

10.04.2018

Note: This is an elegy poem. In traditional English poetry, elegy is a melancholy poetry form that is written to lament the death of someone but ends in consolation. An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead. 

Read Letters from the Soul #8 here