The following poem is a "Luc Bat". This is a Vietnamese verse form in which the lines alternate between six and eight syllables, and each rhyme sounds appears three times - as the final syllable of an 8-syllable line, the final syllable of the following 6-syllable line, and the 6th syllable of the following 8-syllable line. The final syllable of the whole poem must rhyme with the final syllable of the opening line.
The hottest day
It is the hottest day
Much hotter than in May or June
Some might call it a boon
Indeed it’s none too soon because
Summer up to now was
Not like you get in Oz or Spain -
We’ve had our share of rain.
So, to say it again, my friends,
A heatwave makes amends
However soon it ends and yet
It’s worth a tiny bet
There’ll still be cause to fret. Oh yes!
You didn’t need to guess.
More may soon turn to less I fear.
I’ve changed to Summer gear
And just got out the beer although
It is too hot to go
Outside but fine to throw out wide
All windows to provide
A cooling breeze inside the house
Or would be if some louse
Maybe told by his spouse had not
Decided that a lot
Of garden mess and rot could burn
And therefore did not spurn
To light a fire and turn the air
To foul from what was fair
Thus causing me to swear and curse
For little could be worse
Than fumes that then traverse the space
To my room from that place
I call it a disgrace. That fire
Calls forth my deepest ire
I wish it would transpire that he
Who caused this tragedy
Would think again and be a tad
More bound to good than bad.
Oh well, at least I’ve had my say.
© John Welford
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