I
when night is darkest just right before dawn
the streams fill with salmon eager to spawn
a bear-cub with mother – yearning to taste
eat or be eaten the ticket is drawn
II
the bright gibbous moon, she sees in distaste
as soldiers are gath’rin – preparing in haste
attacking a village with children asleep
we’re doing what’s worst and nature’s disgraced
III
the honor of wolf is finding the sheep
the honor of man is not quite as deep
we’re robbing each other – claiming the pawn
and yet we’re naming the animals creep
50 lashes
Today I’m hosting the bar at dVerse, and we are writing ruba’i and rubáyiat. Come and join us, I can assure you it will be fun. The bar opens at 3 PM EST as usual.
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August 28, 2014
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Who is the beast indeed? I also went down a dark path for mine, Björn. I have found it hard to be optimistic regarding humankind this summer. Man’s ability to create horror and terror seems limitless
Yes it had been a dark summer in many ways..
This is a great rubayiat, Bjorn. Knowing English is your second language, I forgive the errors of esses in lines 2, 5 and 9 (erase this comment when you’ve corrected them!) eg the streams fill OR the stream fills.
I always keep the comment – but will correct 😉 Thank you so much – hope to see you tonight
we humans can be so much creepier than the worst beast i can think of… they kill to survive – we kill for gaining power and advantage…ugh… it’s sad… looking forward to the prompt tonite
I have great hope for the prompt also.. so far I have seen great stuff
who is really the animal…us or theme….the third and ultimately fourth of these really bring it home nicely bjorn…not sure if nicely is the best word…more a prickly sense thinking of that village…and then the comparison….
yes I get that creepy feeling too.
us humans have a lot to answer for . . .
I think so too Kathryn..
Bjorn, Often men act do act like beasts. —Susan
Alas, men are much worse than beasts
It does seem oftentimes that man’s behavior is more ‘beastly’ than can be found among other ‘wild life.’ The wolf has more honor indeed!
Yes.. it seems that in our superior brains we have created the best ways of acting cruel..
Perfectly done, Bjorn. Thanks for opening my eyes to this poetic phenomenon.
I hope to see your entry.. this is a wonderful form…
Turn your gaze to the Middle East, to Africa, men behaving as beasts, letting loose the dogs of religious zeal & cruelty; a terrific choice for poetics, brother. I, too, took the last word in line 3 of each quatrain, to start the following one, & bravely used AAAA once to vary the AABA rhythm.
Oh I for sure see it there.. I see it in drones.. I see it here in the west.. ghastly behavior everywhere.
Lots of truth in this, Bjorn. We are surrounded by wildlife here, including rattle snakes and others that can do a lot of harm–but nothing like what humans are capable of. I like the form.
I recall when I lived in Phoenix, and it seemed that all wildlife was poisonous .. all growing things was sharp as blades.. but still what humans can do is far worse.
great points made here… wildlife is mainly peaceful, only killing when needed to survive; while humans kill for fun it seems…
For fun, for spite for hate or sometimes just ignorance.. and we care about the small details.. never the big picture.
Well well…I thought you’d do your host post great jutice – wonderful idea, and your poetry just matches this form like a glove. The 2nd verse is particularly inpiring in that for me it sums up the worst of what we have witnessed in the last two decades – and surely more, and in detail.
But…these two lines are completely unforgettable.
the honor of wolf is finding the sheep
the honor of man is not quite as deep
I don’t know when I have read anything with as much vigeur, truth, or power for a long while. Certainly not in two lines.
I would love to explore this form.. i think there are untapped possibilities. There is so much to do.. and I guess after the frenzy of the 19th century has died, maybe we can really write them for this century..
Excellent poem, perfectly written to the challenge. I thought this was do-able although at first I was hesitant. It seemed a lot to live up to but I have a book called the Rubaiyat of a Persian Kitten and it was cunning, well written and beautifully illustrated. It inspired me to try. First rate Bjorn!
I can see you really enjoyed this… so traditional in form… loved the humanity in this as it reveals two side of life happening at the same time
Lovely set but my favorite is the last one ~ who is the man, who is the beast ~ I had a tough time with the last line but I finally made it ~ Thanks for the lovely challenge Bjorn ~ My pen is rusty with the form, smiles ~
Misplaced blame indeed
Hmm..my friend the dark pen has a strong voice..as we live in a crazy time..I liked the last one best but, I think the bear is your inner spirit speaking. (smiling)..
Mankind is always in conflict blaming others but justifying their own actions! Great word craft Bjorn!
Hank
I fear the path some have taken. It seems that there are more and more sociopaths out there these days… Thanks for a challenging but rewarding prompt, Bjorn and great work here though painful to be reminded.
Interesting form.I agree with Bodhirose about the increased number of sociopaths out there.The poison and vitriol spewed by sociopaths ,some even concealed in the guise of harmless Moms and Church goers is breathtaking and quite terrifying!
Great take on the world today and as always your form is perfect. So true about humanity turning into creeps. Reminds me of an old movie that scared the peepers out of me. (Jeepers Creepers or something like that IDK)
a wonderful prompt and yours is perfect….don’t know what’s the way out of this darkness…great write..
This piece flows so smoothly.
As regards the content, it does seem like that humans, sometimes, behave worse than animals.
One should focus on the bright side. That is what I think.
Enjoyed this, esp last stanza!
Animals don’t turn on their own kind to the horrendous extent that humankind does. By the way, I found your explanatory preamble of the Ruba’i and Rubáyiat prompt at dVerse Poets Pub to be very edifying – which is always a nice bonus.