Absolutely true, Joanna. The first time I encountered a pantoum it was I
think the Malay four line form, which has some very tricky, not to say
impossible internal rhymes. Of course I tried to write one, always up for
the challenge, and it defeated me, though I have had a go at the westernised
repetition version. (which was also difficult). I guess, like practically
every other language, there are lots of rhymes in Malay!
Best
A
On 11/2/05 10:11 PM, "Joanna Boulter" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I'm not in any way practised in the ghazal form, but I wouldn't want to
> argue with Douglas's point here about the whole form being 'translated' by
> writers in English. The same thing has happened with that vey popular form
> the pantoum, which as it has arrived in European/American literature
> substitutes other rules and traditions for the Malay ones of the original
> pantun form.
>
> best joanna
Alison Croggon
Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com
Editor, Masthead: http://masthead.net.au
Home page: http://alisoncroggon.com
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