A verse a day: 'The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam'.

[Guest]

[Ploe]

We too have only a little while to stay, and once departed may return no more. Added to verse two's advice to fill the cup and drink before life's liquor be dry, this seems an exhortation to 'carpe diem', as Editor says.

I've read to quatrain thirty four, because I don't want to get too ahead of the group. It does seem to be a "Live! Live your life as it should be. By no one elses standard except your own. Because once you're gone, those will love will remember you for a short while, but they will be gone too."

Sort of humbling in a way because it goes to show people thought about the same thing eons before my existence.

[carter]

I've read to quatrain thirty four, because I don't want to get too ahead of the group. It does seem to be a "Live! Live your life as it should be. By no one elses standard except your own. Because once you're gone, those will love will remember you for a short while, but they will be gone too."

Sort of humbling in a way because it goes to show people thought about the same thing eons before my existence.

Curse you with your foreknowledge! Even though we're only at verse thirteen, it certianly seems to be shaping up that way. Yes, it is humbling, isn't it? Inspiring too. We're not the first, we won't be the last. Others have gone through this and meteor-shone. We can too.

Carter.

[carter]

14

The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon
Turns Ashes - or it prospers; and anon,
  Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face
Lightning a little Hour or two - is gone.

[Will]

I've been away on a five day mental vacation.  Sorry if I'm bringing up old sh!t.  The last two lines of verse 12 are intriguing.

  Ah, take the Cash in hand and waive the Rest;
Oh, the brave Music of a distant Drum!

Was money called Cash way back then?

Why is the music of a distant drum brave?  Is the drum distant because he's secluded himself?  Enjoying it from a distance maybe?     

[Will]

Verses 13 and 14 leave me scratching my noggin. 

[carter]

I've been away on a five day mental vacation.  Sorry if I'm bringing up old sh!t.  The last two lines of verse 12 are intriguing.

  Ah, take the Cash in hand and waive the Rest;
Oh, the brave Music of a distant Drum!

Was money called Cash way back then?

Why is the music of a distant drum brave?  Is the drum distant because he's secluded himself?  Enjoying it from a distance maybe?     

Yeah, cash=money. I'm assuming that distant drum refers to a distance in terms of familiarity rather than geography? The drum is distant from what he's used to, and therefore exhilarating. I think. 

Oh, and sorry for my crappy posting on this over the last week or so. As ever, too much beer and the wrong type of guys are at the root of my problems. Less of both now - I'm a new man.

Carter.

[carter]

15

And those who husbanded the Golden Grain,
And those who flung it to the Winds like Rain,
  Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn'd
As, buried once, Men want dug up again.

[carter]

16

Think, in this batter'd Caravanserai
Whose Doorways are alternate Night and Day,
  How Sultan after Sultan with his Pomp
Abode his Hour or two and went his way.

[Will]

husbanded the Golden Grain-???

Verse 16-is he saying Sultans go to a batter'd Caravanserai to get their rocks off and hit the road? 


I've always had trouble deciphering this type of poetry.

[carter]

Hey Will,

I'm pretty sure these two verses are reinforcing what's gone before, that life should be lived NOW and for the right reasons.

Verse 15:

And those who husbanded the Golden Grain,
And those who flung it to the Winds like Rain,

Refers to those that carefully guard their life and use it, and those that care not. Combined with 'aureate' in line 3 (meaning gold-hued) to reinforce a sense of the best of life. Doesn't matter though, as each of them die, and moulder in the ground wanting to be born again.

Verse 16:

Think, in this batter'd Caravanserai
Whose Doorways are alternate Night and Day,
  How Sultan after Sultan with his Pomp
Abode his Hour or two and went his way.

A caravanserai was a way-station for the great caravans that traversed the deserts, bringing riches from the east. In other words, a place life and civilisation in the midst of a vast wilderness. A bit like our existence, no? We, like the grand Sultans in their pomp, abide an hour or two an go our way into the wilderness beyond. Is there another caravanserai? We hope so. The mention of sultans shows that the same fate happens to us all, whether rich or poor, famed or insignificant.

Of course, I could be completely wrong.

Carter.

[carter]

17

They say the Lion and the Lizard keep
The Courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep:
  And Bahram, that great Hunter - the Wild Ass
Stamps o'er his Head, and he lies fast asleep.

[Will]

Of course, I could be completely wrong.

Sounds like you're right on point to me.  Of course the deeper we go into this the more clueless I am.  That god damn TV brain of mine.

[carter]

Sounds like you're right on point to me.  Of course the deeper we go into this the more clueless I am.  That god damn TV brain of mine.

Not at all. I've always admired people that are ready to admit that they don't know something, that they're still learning. Too many people try to bluster their way through, and end up being just as ignorant at the end. Anyway, I'm sure there are many subjects in which I could learn from you.

Carter.

[Will]

17

They say the Lion and the Lizard keep
The Courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep:
  And Bahram, that great Hunter - the Wild Ass
Stamps o'er his Head, and he lies fast asleep.

gloried and drank deep-sounds like a good, sexy time to me

I'll guess that the Lion and the Lizard aren't actually animals but symbols of ? courage and something else ? deception perhaps??



 

[Will]

Anyway, I'm sure there are many subjects in which I could learn from you.

I am close to achieving a hands-free masturbation technique.  Go to work and toss a galaxy without anyone knowing...yeah that's where it's at.   

[Will]

I'll guess that the Lion and the Lizard aren't actually animals but symbols of ? courage and something else ? deception perhaps??

I don't why there all these smileys.  They are supposed to be all question marx. 

[carter]

gloried and drank deep-sounds like a good, sexy time to me

I'll guess that the Lion and the Lizard aren't actually animals but symbols of ?? ?? ?? courage ?? ?? ?? and something else ?? ?? ?? deception perhaps?? ?? ?

Here perhaps the lion and lizard are simply lions and lizards (though I appreciate there may be additional symbolism due to the anilmals chosen), running free over the courts (grand places) where these heroes used to be, while the heroes themselves sleep in the ground. In other words, time passes, and so in time do the great. So in time do all of us.

Carter.

[carter]

I am close to achieving a hands-free masturbation technique.  Go to work and toss a galaxy without anyone knowing...yeah that's where it's at.   

There before ya. Splurging as I ty-p-----e. Ah, there it is.

Carter.

[carter]

18

I sometimes think that never blows so red
The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled;
  That every Hyacinth the Garden wears
Dropt in its lap from some once lovely Head.

[carter]

19

And this delightful Herb whose tender Green
Fledges the River's Lip on which we lean -
  Ah, lean upon it lightly! for who knows
From what once lovely Lip it springs unseen!

[Will]

Verse 18 mentions a Rose and Hyacinth, and Verse 19 mentions a delightful herb (which seems to be Hyacinth).  Is this more pondering about the cycle of life (and death)?  Dropt in its lap from some once lovely Head

Also, something I've been wondering is if this is called a Rubaiyat, was it a Rubaiyat before the translation?  Would the original version have the same rhyme scheme and 10 syllables per line?   

[Will]

Reading up on the Hyacinth, I found out it sometimes symbolizes rebirth.

[Editor]

For those following this thread, it's not dead yet. I've eMailed Carter and he will be back, unfortunately he has things to deal with at the moment.

Carpe diem,

Mike,
Editor,
Unquiet Desperation.

[Will]

Wrong guys wrong beer...I understand. 

[carter]

Verse 18 mentions a Rose and Hyacinth, and Verse 19 mentions a delightful herb (which seems to be Hyacinth).  Is this more pondering about the cycle of life (and death)?  Dropt in its lap from some once lovely Head

Also, something I've been wondering is if this is called a Rubaiyat, was it a Rubaiyat before the translation?  Would the original version have the same rhyme scheme and 10 syllables per line?

Reading up on the Hyacinth, I found out it sometimes symbolizes rebirth.

I think you're right: death and rebirth, withthe rose signifying the beauty of the world while we're here, perhaps?

Apparently 'rubaiyat' is the plural of 'rubaiyah', a quatrain, or stanza of four lines.

Wrong guys wrong beer...I understand. 

You have no idea how close you are. Booze + a ridiculously cute boy is not a good combination for Carter. Lost me head for a couple of weeks, I'm afraid. A storm, but fun while it lasted!

Carter.