An Interesting Challenge

[Rybka]

Possible Foreign Phrase Poetry Contest?

Here is an interesting challenge. Go to this website, They Thought You'd Say This and pick one of the phrases. Use the foreign language words as your title and list the English translation at the bottom. For extra credit use the English phrase in your poem.

If there is enough interest, maybe we can get the moderators to stick this and make it an "official" contest.

Here is a quick example:

Kolumpáei san delfíni.*
(Haiku)

Handsome as the sea
Chartering out of Skyros
He swims like a fish.​

* Greek for "He swims like a fish."

.

 

[flyguy69]

Possible Foreign Phrase Poetry Contest?

Here is an interesting challenge. Go to this website, They Thought You'd Say This and pick one of the phrases. Use the foreign language words as your title and list the English translation at the bottom. For extra credit use the English phrase in your poem.

If there is enough interest, maybe we can get the moderators to stick this and make it an "official" contest.

Here is a quick example:

Kolumpáei san delfíni.*
(Haiku)

Handsome as the sea
Chartering out of Skyros
He swims like a fish.​

* Greek for "He swims like a fish."

.

Sorry, Ryb; I'm laughing too hard to write!

Great website!

 

[annaswirls]

Possible Foreign Phrase Poetry Contest?

Here is an interesting challenge. Go to this website, They Thought You'd Say This and pick one of the phrases. Use the foreign language words as your title and list the English translation at the bottom. For extra credit use the English phrase in your poem.

If there is enough interest, maybe we can get the moderators to stick this and make it an "official" contest.

Here is a quick example:

Kolumpáei san delfíni.*
(Haiku)

Handsome as the sea
Chartering out of Skyros
He swims like a fish.​

* Greek for "He swims like a fish."

.

I am IN!!!
Okay where when what how etc etc I need details man, all of the freedom just makes me flail all over the place

 

[Angeline]

For the Princess of Porto

Porque está a rir?*

The pebbles clatter,
Spastic branches shake their greens.
Why are you laughing?

* Portuguese for Why are you laughing?

 

[BooMerengue]

Waa inaan duugnaa isaga*

spirits are fading now
sky grows dark as the eyes
we must bury her

*Somali for We must bury her


This is fun, Rybby! TY!


.

 

[BooMerengue]

Wax qiimo leh ma sidataa?*

See the arms around her babies;
see the hollows in her face?
She knows nothing of tomorrow
as she moves from place to place.

Long ago her fathers favorite
she stood tall within her tribe
Now she grovels for the soldiers
who have come to make her life

better, so they tell her.
They will make the country free
"It just takes a little longer"
as they lead her to a tree.

Now she holds her babies tighter
other soldiers look away.
Do you have any valuables?
So we can fight another day.

Somali for Do you have any valuables?

.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Porque está a rir?*

The pebbles clatter,
Spastic branches shake their greens.
Why are you laughing?

* Portuguese for Why are you laughing?

Because now I need to write something in Yiddish.

 

[champagne1982]

*Ile placimy za dzieci? (Polish)

I watched you at the market.
You sought a plump, young example,
checked the teeth, the coating
on the tongue and exactly
how bright the eyes.

It was all for show.
You had no idea what meant
quality in your choice.

I heard you say to the vendor,
These older beasts are past
their prime and I see
they're going cheap,
but
what do we pay for the children?

*What do we pay for the children?

 

[Angeline]

Because now I need to write something in Yiddish.

*clicks heel*

translator at your service.

 

[Angeline]

*Ile placimy za dzieci? (Polish)

I watched you at the market.
You sought a plump, young example,
checked the teeth, the coating
on the tongue and exactly
how bright the eyes.

It was all for show.
You had no idea what meant
quality in your choice.

I heard you say to the vendor,
These older beasts are past
their prime and I see
they're going cheap,
but
what do we pay for the children?

*What do we pay for the children?

Oh my god this is great!

You're a sick bitch, aren't you?

 

[champagne1982]

Oh my god this is great!

You're a sick bitch, aren't you?

I'm not sick, just menstruating ... Hormonal shifts do strange things to my psyche. Is that a knife over there?

 

[champagne1982]

I gotta go to work and I'd hate to see this thread die on that note. C'mon, write a poem inspired by the German phrase, "Wo ist der WC?"

 

[flyguy69]

I gotta go to work and I'd hate to see this thread die on that note. C'mon, write a poem inspired by the German phrase, "Wo ist der WC?"

Does that mean "Who am I going to piss on?" I think that poem has been written on an adjacent thread.