Take one of the verses from "The Rubáiyát" and rewrite it in modern, informal English. Your verses should have a title and be four lines long, written in iambic pentameter, in AABA.
The verse I'm using is:
"Some for the glories of this world; and some
Sigh for the Prophet's Paradise to come;
Ah, take the cash, and let the credit go,
Nor heed the rumble of a distant drum.
I did this:
Title: Higher Thoughts
Men will enjoy life,
While some will search for heaven – no strife,
Grab the paper, not the plastic,
Don’t be deterred by your screaming wife.
It's awful, haha. It's probably the worst thing i've ever written and it's completely not in iambic pentameter (as far as I know. I'm still confused, even after reading about meter). I hate poems that rhyme for the sake of rhyming and this is exactly what it ended up being.
Help?
If you were doing this assignment - how would you interpret the verse? I need suggestions for how to fix my version.
"Some for the glories of this world; and some
Sigh for the Prophet's Paradise to come;
Ah, take the cash, and let the credit go,
Nor heed the rumble of a distant drum
He suggesting that one live for the moment, not for future glory, or for hope of heaven. "Take the money and run" as the song goes.
An iamb is "ta-DUM" Iambic pentameter will have 5 of these to one line. Example...for the start of the first line...Do NOT give CHASE to CARS and CASH nor LOOK.....
See what you can do with that...
(Sorry but until recent times, poets just loved to rhyme...and it can be fun...See Ogden Nash <G>)
Title: Enjoy the Now
Some chase worldly glories, seeking delight;
While others long for Paradise's sight.
Just take the cash, let credit fade away,
Ignore the drumbeat of a distant fight.
In this modern, informal rewrite, the verse conveys the same essence as the original while using a more casual language. The focus is on enjoying the present moment rather than seeking future rewards or glory. The idea of taking cash over credit is expressed, urging the reader to prioritize immediate pleasures. The mention of a distant drumbeat highlights the notion of ignoring external distractions or potential conflicts. The verse retains the AABA rhyme scheme, but now with an attempt at iambic pentameter. By stressing the alternating syllables, the lines should have the desired rhythm.