Me Ray Jadi Save

The time has come to bring back the Dothraki haiku challenge.

The Dothraki haiku challenge was a yearly competition amongst those who studied Dothraki a bit. Haikus seemed within the grasp of even elementary students, so it seemed like a fun thing to do. I’d post a new competition every year on my birthday, and then decide on winners (one for Dothraki, and later one for High Valyrian) just for fun (no real awards; only virtual).

I can’t remember off hand how many competitions we ran, but it was at least four, I think. They didn’t stop for any important reason. The fact of the matter was, what would have been the next Dothraki competition in 2017 fell on my birthday, January 20th—the same day the 45th President of the United States was inaugurated. It so happens every 4 or 8 years that my birthday falls on inauguration day, and while some are better than others, that one had me feeling like I really didn’t want to celebrate my birthday at all. So I skipped that one, and as things busied up, I never got back to it.

Now I’m getting back to it.

So, if there’s anyone out there who’s still capable of writing a haiku in Dothraki or High Valyrian, this is your chance! Compose on your own, and when you’re ready, post it in the comments. (For those somewhat new to the languages, please make use of the Dothraki wiki, which has detailed grammatical information on both Dothraki and High Valyrian.)

We’ll do challenge words again this year (you don’t need to use the challenge word in your haiku, but if you do, I’ll give yours a little boost when I rate all the poems). The challenge word for Dothraki will be sash, and the challenge word for High Valyrian will be arlie, both of which are adjectives which mean “new”. For the full set of rules regarding the haiku, see below.

(Oh, by the way, I generally don’t choose a winner until submissions stop coming in.)

Guidelines

For the purposes of this contest, a haiku is 17 syllables long, with the syllable counts for each line being 5, 7, and 5, in that order. If you need to fudge, go for it, but I will weight exact syllable counts more highly.

Also (and this is important), since this is Dothraki, we are definitely going by syllable count, not mora count. Regarding syllable-counting, in Dothraki, a syllable is defined as a vowel plus one or more consonants on either side. A syllable cannot contain more than one vowel, which means that a word like kishaan is trisyllabic, not disyllabic.

If it helps, you may or may not contract the various prepositions that contract. So, for example, mr’anha (two syllables) is the usual way of saying “inside me”. For your haiku, if you wish, you can separate the two out, i.e. mra anha (three syllables). You can also drop purely epenthetic e vowels (so the past tense of “crush”, kaffe, can be rendered as kaff’). Feel free to play with word order and drop pronouns, as needed, bearing in mind that such language is figurative, and the reader will still need to be able to figure out who’s doing what to whom.

For Valyrian: Long vowels count as two mora, and a vowel with a coda counts as two mora, but a syllable will not have more than two mora. So a long vowel plus a coda consonant will still be two mora, for the purposes of the poem. If you can’t do the poem using mora, do it with syllables, but I’ll weight those done with mora more highly. This will make it more like a real Japanese haiku. If you need a particular word in a particular number/case combination or a verb in a particular conjugation, please let me know and I’ll give it to you.

Addendum: Falling diphthongs count as two mora (i.e. ae and ao); rising diphthongs count as one (e.g. ia, ua, ue, etc.). Also, word order is certainly freer in poetry than it is in everyday speech, but the rules about adjectives still apply (i.e. you use the short forms if the adjective appears directly before the noun it modifies; otherwise they’d take their full forms). And, finally, word-final consonants are extrametrical. Thus if a word ends in -kor, that counts as one mora, not two.

Shieraki gori ha yerea! Fonas chek!

38 comments

  1. Glad to see the contest back! For High Valyrian, if a word ends in consonant(s) that may form an onset, and the next word begins with a vowel, are they part of the coda of the word-final syllable or the onset of the second word’s initial syllable?

  2. Never mind my first comment. I apparently didn’t read properly where it says that word-final consonants are extrametrical.

  3. Hello, David.

    I’m glad the Dothraki haiku competition is back on.
    My name is Roman. I’m 33. I’m from Gabon but I live in Morocco. I’ve been learning high valyrian since 5 months now. I’ve also been composing haiku for fun and practice for like a week. So I was absolutely thrilled when I learned about the competion you’re resuming.

    If I got it well, this where we should leave our poems. So that’s what I’m going to do. 2 things though. It’s a quite long poem. So I will be sending it progressively, on a basis of about 10 haiku a day. Secondly. As, you may have guessed, english it not my first language. So the intended meaning given in english may sound a bit too litteral , even strange to you. I apologise in advance.

    Last thing. If what I’m proposing is not what you looking for, or if you have some advice, it would be nice to let me know.

    That’s a pretty long prologue. I know. Sorry.

    Here’s the poem

    Dāro Syyz Udir

    Skorkydoso
    vestriarjio Uēpo
    udra tepagon?

    Laehossa
    va bōso bantiot
    sīr ēdrus.

    Se mērī
    vāedro elēni
    ēbrio bē

    qēlossa
    tepillosa sikis.
    Pār vāedan.

    Yn ziksoso
    daor. Koston daor.
    Yvosa mijen.

    Zyyrha udra
    jemot tolyrtyy
    vestrinna.

    Yn elēnir
    idañor va mōriot
    ñuhon kessa.

    Vāedinna
    “Dāro Syyz Udir”
    prōmyysa.

    Bonys dārys
    guēsoti valotī
    jemēbiles.

    Tistālior
    mēdoti lēdor.
    Pār īles…

    Intended meaning

    How
    to pass on the words
    of the Ancient of history?

    His eyes
    to the long night
    now he sleeps

    And only
    the voice of the song
    through the night sky

    can mercifully
    ignite the stars.
    That’s why I’m singing.

    But not as he used to.
    That’s impossible to me.
    I lack his art.

    His words
    to you and others
    I sure will tell.

    But the music
    coming along with them
    will always be mine.

    I will sing
    “The Gospel of the King”
    with all my heart.

    That King
    over trees and men,
    he reigned.

    The bank
    was full of metals
    back then. So it was…

  4. Hi David.

    I just realized that “Dāro syyz udir” isn’t correct. It should be “Dāro syyrior udir”. Which is 8 mora, not 7. I then must rewrite it to fit in the poem. I’m thinking of “Dāro Udrio bē”. What do you think?

  5. Glad to see the contest back! I hope there are many submissions. Here comes mine, followed by an English translation.

    Vēzilla
    tembo qūvoti
    konor sittus

    Tegon lōrior
    onot rēbari
    ykynatuty

    Tubis arlie
    daomȳro bē
    pār prattus

    The sunlight
    on the leaf-tears
    would make steam

    Wet soil
    walking in the dawn
    we would smell

    A new day
    after the rains
    then began

  6. Dāro udrio bē 2 (continuation)

    Yn umbiles
    qubor tistālior
    ñellenkor,

    valo naejot.
    Kesrio syt sesīr
    ondorzo

    karys dārys
    dōrī glaesot
    mele dōron

    hinittes. Se
    mōrī mērpa
    jorumbiles.

    Dārōñar
    rōvrā lōgra
    ziry ēdas.

    Udrāzmosa
    pōnta seltisi
    embrarta,

    lyksot iā hen
    vīlībāzmot,
    hae jeldis

    se ozeptis
    dāro jaqiarzir
    uēpo vyyhot.

    Par lēdrar
    ajesurilaroro
    s’āeksyyndo

    pāletisi,
    se āmastisi
    rīglossi…

    Intended meaning

    But poor
    remained
    the fleshy bank

    a man has in the chest.
    Because as powerfull
    as he was

    never had
    the great king put
    the red stone

    at risk.
    At the end, lonely
    he kept on being.

    Royal
    and large ships
    he sure owned.

    And on his command
    they would sail
    to the far seas,

    in peace or
    breaking war
    as required

    and demanded
    the glory of kings
    in the ancient world.

    Then full
    of spices
    and treasures

    they would turn
    and come back
    with all the honors…

  7. Dāro udrio bē 3

    Yn va mōriot
    dārys ziryyle
    urnīles

    tolī qubi.
    Ērinnussi
    amijīlis:

    “Kempyktros
    ānogrosa tegot
    embrarta,

    Dijemis lyys
    naejos vamiot hae
    Jaedryyti,

    Se irughisi
    lī laehossa
    āeksyyndi,

    se ruariarzon
    gīmissiarzōn.”
    Skoros īles?

    Derēbiles
    mērī mirros
    tolvyyni:

    Raqnon. Vala
    sīr ēdos daor!
    Ziry vāsir

    Jorrāelton
    daor… Arlinno
    tubis, vējo

    iā biarvo syt,
    sesīr aderī,
    māzīles…

    Intended meaning

    But still
    the king
    saw himself

    too poor;
    still lacking
    some victories:

    ” That blood
    outweighing all the seas
    of the earth,

    A bosom
    that warms like
    The Lands of Summer,

    And eyes
    that give
    all the treasures,

    be they
    concealed or known.”
    What was that?

    Only
    one thing gathered
    everything:

    Love. The man
    Had not had it yet.
    He had yet

    not loved…
    The day of change,
    as doom,

    or fortune,
    and very soon,
    was coming…

  8. Sorry to be late to the party; it’s the end of the school semester and I have a lot on my plate right now.

    Quick question: Looking at «affelat», does the intransitive «felat» also exist?

  9. Alright, here’s my first draft of a Dothraki haiku. I’ll tweak it if it turns out I’m misusing *fesat.

    Sash vezh zhowake
    Me’sh adrozhe sajakes
    Kash me zin fese

    “New horse spells danger
    It may well kill its rider
    While it still itches”

  10. Dāro udrio bē 4

    Daomio gō
    īles… Sīrgō
    jaehossa

    kisalbroti
    ruarilaksirī
    umastisi,

    tubis vestris.
    Sepār steptisi
    qilōnaria

    s’irūdī,
    gīdrȳti bē,
    iā hen valoti

    tepilloti
    s’eglȳ gaomoti.
    Tubis pāsis.

    Keskydoso
    ziry gōntis,
    vala mērpa.

    Intended meaning

    In the rain
    it was… Long ago
    the gods

    would attend
    banquets
    anonymously,

    say we today.
    And they would deal out
    punishments

    and gifts,
    according to sins,
    or each one’s

    mercies
    and noble deeds.
    So we believe today.

    And just likewise
    would he do,
    the lonely man.

    1. …correcting the last stanza (missing 2 mora on the middle line):

      Keskydoso
      pār ziry gōntis,
      vala mērpa.

  11. General comment: Sorry I was late on approving these comments and viewing them! I forgot I had to approve every comment now, and so assume I just wasn’t getting any comments. lol My bad!

  12. Ugh, messed up the word order of the new horse. It should be:

    Vezh sash zhowake
    Me’sh adrozhe sajakes
    Kash me zin fese

    “New horse spells danger
    It may well kill its rider
    While it still itches”

  13. Dāro udrio bē 5

    Sombāzmion
    pār hembistis,
    laodiapossi

    jomīstre… iā
    daor. Tolvys ziry
    rhēdessis

    doar, dāri,
    laehurlȳso.
    Pār dārys,

    ziksanna
    mīsītsorī
    tolī qubi,

    se zōbrī,
    jonevetre, dārio
    zȳho gieron

    imazumptis.
    Tymptrio Dēmalion
    zijot īles:

    Ninkȳti
    iā sindilȳti
    udekuragon,

    mērpirī,
    se ruarilaksirī,
    yn munnose,

    hae lūho
    uēpī jaehoti,
    skorī tegot

    umastisi?
    Se rūnino bē?
    Vāedinna…

    Intended meaning

    He used to
    leave the castle
    under a mask

    …or not.
    Not everyone
    does know him,

    the king,
    by face.
    Then the king,

    wearing
    a hat, very low
    quality clothes,

    and darkly,
    the people
    of his kingdom

    he would join.
    That was his
    Game of the throne:

    Approching
    open plains or
    marketplaces,

    all alone,
    anonymously
    and sadly,

    just like
    the old gods
    on earth

    used to descend.
    What say the records?
    I will sing…

  14. Dāro udrio 6

    Jaedo tubio
    vēzo gō, vala
    ninkiot vamiot

    istas. Tubis
    dōni se albie,
    hae rūklot.

    Se skorī parmot
    dārys rēbiles,
    skoros ūndas?

    Tolmiot daor
    mirti baeliles
    lue vale tolie,

    nusperi se
    epseri jemagon
    kisikagōn.

    Se va lantot
    trēsomy botiles
    lue kepe bone.

    Ziry otāptas,
    dārys urnere,
    prōmȳsa:

    ” Gerpa kara
    va mōriot issa
    lo ūbremis

    prōmȳsa
    raqno tegunno.
    Konir issa. ”

    Se dijāves
    mērpa prūmiā
    sīmoniles,

    yn iemnȳ
    dorolvior munnon,
    hae sȳndrot.

    Toliē tubī
    dārys raqiruni
    urnīles.

    Hen guēsinne,
    sindiliot īles,
    hēnkirī.

    Se nevīles
    arghīlis lī,
    hēnkirī.

    Se drīvose
    kirimves īles
    keson glaesor:

    Tolvȳni
    va mōriot stepagon,
    se tolvomy.

    Se biarvī
    ōdrī vȳho,
    gīdirī.

    Pōntale
    naenākossi
    biarvesse,

    yn tolȳti
    dijāves ōdria
    avokēza.

    Pār qūvi
    tolī aderī
    ojāeniksi.

    Hen pikīptes
    līr hae riñā
    māzīles.

    Kōdra geviar
    otāpiarja, hen
    rūnirri:

    Tegōnē
    gīhot, sambroti
    jēdrarra

    valaro toliot…
    Sēteri, sȳndor.
    Mēriot ziry

    qrimbughetes
    kōdro sȳndroti,
    hae valā

    ēdrurȳ,
    averilloma. Se
    Konir īles…

    Intended meaning

    On a sunny
    summer day, nearby
    to a plain a man

    went.
    A sweet and bright day,
    like a flower.

    And as he passed
    on the grass, what did
    the king see?

    Not far
    someone helping
    a man

    lead
    and feed
    his livestock,

    and, getting close,
    a son helping
    this father of his.

    Then, said
    the king, watching,
    in his heart:

    “The fruit
    is always excellent
    if grown

    with the heart
    on the field of love.
    So it is.”

    And a warmth
    in his lonly heart
    was rising

    along with
    a bit of sadness,
    like a shadow.

    On another
    day he saw
    some friends,

    from the woods
    heading to the marketplace
    together,

    carrying
    what they had hunted
    together.

    And actually
    there was happiness
    in that life:

    Always sharing
    everything with
    everyone,

    all the fortunes
    and damages,
    equally.

    So the joys
    multiply
    themselves.

    But the warmth
    from the others
    purify the wounds,

    and the tears
    are very quickly
    washed away.

    This was coming
    from what he had read
    as a child.

    Those thoughts
    of beauty from
    his memories:

    on a terrestrial
    soul, the clouds
    in the sky

    above men
    casting their forms and shape.
    But he

    was drowning
    in those shades,
    like a man

    in a dream,
    full of wine. And
    so it was….

  15. Dāro udrio bē 7

    Gerp’ īlis.
    Se syluteton daor.
    Sesīr daor.

    Se pōntosa
    mijeton daor.
    Yn drējī?

    Morghūltis
    jorarghutis līr
    skorī ziry

    udekurtis.
    Va mōriot īles
    konon glaeson.

    Jēdrarra
    bērīlis lī
    irūdī

    renitos daor;
    mērī sȳndra
    ziry ēdes.

    Koni ēdis,
    hae tymptrȳti,
    jaelaro syt.

    Yn, vestretaks
    konir, arlinon
    māziles…

    Intended meaning

    So were the fruits.
    And he had not tasted them.
    Not yet.

    And he
    did not miss them.
    Really?

    What he pursued
    would vanished
    as he

    approached.
    That life had always
    been so.

    The gifts
    that were hanging
    from the sky

    had not touched him.
    He’d only had
    their shades.

    Those he had
    as a mockery
    for his hopes.

    But, as
    it has been said,
    change was coming…

  16. Hīltas. Hae
    aderē jelmiot –
    sȳndror iojiar.

    Ninkiot kesot
    Zoklītsos hīghas,
    Sōna ropas

    Urnēptes
    Yn arlie rūklon!
    Urnios daor?

    1. Intended meaning:

      [It] hit. As/like a quick wind –
      cold darkness.

      Field
      The little wolf cries out, snow is falling

      [It] had been watching
      But a new flower!
      Can [it] not see?

  17. Dāro udrio bē 8

    Tubī toliē
    zir’ itates zȳhon
    geron arlior.

    Hen jēdār
    mōrī mastas
    zijot mirros,

    udekuragon
    kōtton daor līr
    zijot ropatas,

    jaehossa
    rughissi luon sȳrjon
    tegot: daomio.

    Vēzo gō
    āmāzīles
    sombāzmiot,

    se dekossi,
    yn skorī prattas
    devābagon.

    Ziry tēntas
    egralbo vējes
    trūmirī.

    Se hegnir
    vāedar sōvemos
    tīkosso

    jēdrossi,
    vestriarzir valo
    daomio gō,

    se ūndetas
    luo sētero nyke
    vāedinna…

    Intended meaning

    On another day
    he was finishing
    a new walk.

    From the sky
    something at last
    came to him,

    what he couldn’t
    reach himself
    fell to him,

    that which is good
    that the goods give
    to earth: rain.

    Under the sun
    he was returning
    to the castle

    on foot
    as it started
    to rain.

    The spear
    of fate poked him
    deeply,

    and for
    the song to fly
    on the wings

    of time,
    the story of the man
    in the rain,

    and of the spell
    he saw, I
    will sing…

  18. Dāro udrio bē 9

    Udrir vēttaks
    sīr davābiles.
    Kostōbirī.

    Hae jēdro
    qilōnario tegot,
    hen parmoti

    dekoti gō
    va dāro valoti,
    hēnkirī.

    Pār vala
    dekurūbiles, se
    rhako iā guēso

    ulimēles,
    iēdro bē ȳgha.
    Yn daoruni…

    Ziry lōgor
    qrimbughīlarior
    vamiot īles,

    se jaeliles
    imundarior vilinion,
    qūvyrzy.

    Yn daoruni…
    Dārys jobotiles
    daomȳso.

    Se kōrī
    ajomemēbiles
    lȳs vējes

    hen jēdār
    vale vēdrossi
    zgeltīles…

    Intended meaning

    It was already
    sung that it was raining.
    Powerfully.

    As an heaven’s
    punishment to earth,
    from the trodden grass

    under feet
    to the king of men,
    for all of them.

    So the man
    was running, either
    a shack or a tree

    longing for,
    to save him from the flood.
    But nowhere…

    He was
    like a sinking boat
    nearby

    in desperate
    need of a port
    and compassion.

    But nowhere…
    The king continued to suffer
    the rain.

    And wickedly
    the doom that was
    raging

    from the sky
    was smothering the man
    with all his wrath…

  19. Dāro udrio bē 10

    Se ojūdes
    mirre jaelari
    sīr dārys.

    Vala īles
    va morghot: parmot
    udēmiles

    se jumbiles
    mōriri, lōz
    se vokēda,

    se qūvoti
    rihot qrimbughere,
    tolī jagon.

    Pār mirros
    ozdakonot kōz
    tubis dīntas:

    vala lenton
    ninkiot ūndetas.
    Kaerīnnos!

    Ziry zȳhon
    kostion derēbas,
    se maziōrza.

    Pār jāre
    va lentot, naejot,
    riñe urnes.

    Bōsa geviē
    īles, se iēdroti
    gō sesīr.

    Sīr īlos
    ryptegon ābro
    vestriarzir….

    Intended meaning

    And the king
    had already lost
    all hope.

    A man
    walking to death..
    sitting,

    and waintig
    the very end on the grass,
    wet and pure.

    Drowning
    in a valley of tears
    before he leaves.

    Then something
    chased that evil
    day away:

    a man
    saw a house in the plain.
    Salvation!

    He gathers
    his strength
    and stands.

    Then, walking
    to the house, ahead
    he sees a maiden.

    Tall and fair
    she was, under
    the rain too.

    Let us now
    listen to the story
    of the woman…

  20. Dāro udrio bē 11

    Riña bērio
    qeldlie greviaposo
    jonevīles.

    Hae sūvia
    rūklot, daomion
    zirȳ ropas.

    Se ñōghī
    eglī manaerza
    qubēzā.

    Se dekossi
    tegon hīlības,
    ziry pāles…

    Riña lilza
    gevī se eglī.
    Pār giez vȳz

    urnēbas.
    Se daomion zīrza
    valot vestras.

    Pār jēdar
    iēdrī ‘nkot nȳmas,
    hēnkirī.

    Prūmia pyghas
    elēnino riño
    gevio naejot.

    Konor sēter
    dāri anevetas
    sombāzmiot…

    Se bantī
    prūmiā līrinoso
    vala ēdrus…

    Intended meaning

    The girl
    was wearing a yellow tunic
    with a belt.

    Like butterflies
    on a flower, the rain
    falls on her.

    Then she raises
    and lowers her beautiful
    arms.

    And she beats
    the ground with her feet.
    She spins…

    The girl dances,
    beautifully and gracefully.
    Then the whole world

    watches.
    And it seems to the man
    that the rain itself freezes.

    Then the sky
    calls back its waters,
    all together.

    The heart beats
    before the performance
    of the fair maiden.

    That spell
    transported the king
    to the castle…

    And in the night
    with a smile in his heart
    the man sleeps…

  21. Dāro udrio bē 12

    Ēdrurȳ
    āeksio se gēlio
    pragron urnes.

    Hen jēdār
    elēni ōños
    henugūros,

    se rizmoso
    elēni rholza
    lī ōños.

    Se jeson albior
    konon rizmon siñas,
    hae nūmiot.

    Hembar konir
    riñe glaese siñas,
    valo naejot.

    Muña kessa.
    Se daomblīrinon
    sīr barto

    eglio lykō
    vilza. Dārȳs
    gevivossi!

    Pār dārys
    mōrī prūmie
    zijot irughas,

    daomio gō
    lilis luot, se vēzo
    ērinnot.

    Kesa prūmia
    pyghas, tego vāedar
    pasābare…

    Intended meaning

    In his dream
    he sees a box
    made of gold and silver.

    Coming from the sky,
    a melody draws
    a light from it,

    a light which
    the melody mixes
    with sand.

    And that sand
    becomes a bright dust,
    a seed.

    And that (seed)
    becomes a living girl
    before the man.

    She will give life.
    And a rainbow,
    on her head,

    noble and calm,
    rests. O queen
    by the beauties!

    Then the king
    finally gives her
    his heart,

    to the one
    who dances in the rain,
    to the triumph of the sun.

    That heart
    beats, following
    the song of the earth…

  22. Dāro udrio bē 13

    Onot ōños
    bona vala rūnas
    valar glaesa

    gīmissis
    līr kono dāriot
    gīho bē:

    Skorī vȳs
    issaros tolvie
    jiōris, irughis,

    hae botē,
    va mōriot ālion
    harrenkon.

    Gīhossa
    āeksio jovēnno
    syt verdiksi.

    Gīhossa
    gēlio valar
    eglie issa.

    Se mērī
    rizmon gīhoti
    ēzi lī

    dohaeriror
    jentoti issi.
    Konir īles.

    Kona mēda
    qrīdroluksy daor,
    valoti bē.

    Tolvys qogrot
    jorumbagon zijo
    bēviltis.

    Pār drīves
    se vēttir īlis.
    Sȳz sylvie.

    Gīdēdo
    dārio qīzī
    kirimvī.

    Pār dāriot
    issarys īles,
    oktȳrro.

    Se valar konir
    iotāptegon zijo
    bēviltis.

    Se vēttriro
    mīsio se rāelio
    ZIRY īles,

    pryjatys daor!
    Pār bonys dārys
    hen qubo gieriot

    mirre ābre
    dīnagon kōttos
    daor, tegoso!

    Sesīr hae
    ābrazȳrȳ
    mazōregon

    kōttos daor
    vējes irūdes
    lue irūdi.

    Yn ēdrurys
    jaeli sikilza
    valoti tegot?

    Intended meaning

    At dawn
    that man remembers
    what all living men

    know
    in the realm
    concerning the soul:

    When the world
    welcomes each and every man,
    it always gives,

    as a toil
    for him, the appropriate
    spot.

    The souls
    of gold are made
    for command.

    The souls
    of silver are
    the noble men.

    And those
    who only have sand
    in their souls

    are the servants
    of the leaders.
    So it was.

    Those metals
    are not to be mixed
    among men.

    Everyone
    had to stay
    in his rank.

    Those were
    law and justice at that time.
    Good wisdom.

    The pillars
    and happiness
    of a stable kingdom.

    So went the existence
    in the realm at that time.
    In all the cities.

    And all men
    had to respect
    that.

    And HE was
    the protector and guardian
    of the law,

    not its breaker!
    So that king,
    from the low-born,

    could not just
    marry any woman,
    for earth sake! (by the earth! )

    So as a wife
    he could not
    accept

    what fate
    had given him
    as a gift.

    But would
    what he saw in a dream
    come true? (lit.: will his dream give birth on the ground? )

  23. Dāro udrio bē 14

    1. <>

    23. Konir dārys
    ziry ivestretas
    līr issa,

    24. daomio gō
    liltes luot ābrot
    zijo naejot,

    25. sīr dāro
    sombāzmiot, lilio
    se jovēnnio.

    26. Vala, tolī
    riñot irūdagon
    dāerēdas

    27. lura udrini,
    barti tembȳ,
    ivestretas

    28. ziry: <>

    38. Pār dārys
    ābrot irūdas,
    tembo toliot

    39. sīr barteks,
    Dāroñe Belmos.
    Se hēzīr

    40. ziry emiles
    ajorrāeliles
    līr gaomon.

    41. Tolvȳni:
    tembi se belmos,
    ondorzo.

    42. Gaomilaksir:
    gīdāvī se
    kirimvī

    43. vāedagon
    elekorto, pār
    jēdo rȳ.

    44. Tolī konir,
    gevie riñe mādes
    sombāzmiot

    45. lȳs mentys
    zir’ inkot mādas
    zȳho rhakot

    46. parmenko
    embār: ninkiot,
    yn ruarilaksirī.

    47. Dekurūbis
    v’ arlio tubȳti,
    gevȳti iā

    48. quboti tegot
    ābroti. Se valar
    dekurūbis.

    Intended meaning

    1. <>

    23. That is
    what the king
    told her,

    24. to the woman
    who had danced in the rain
    before him,

    25. now in the king’s
    castle, the dancer
    and the politician.

    26. The man, after
    he had given the girl
    the declaration that freed her,

    27. written
    on a parchment,
    he said

    28. to her: <>

    38. Then the king
    gave the woman,
    above the written

    39. page,
    the Royal Ring.
    And henceforth,

    40. she had
    what the issue
    required.

    41. Everything:
    The Ring and the Parchment,
    all the powers.

    42. The mission:
    To sing freedom
    and happiness

    43. to all ears,
    then throughout
    the ages.

    44. After that,
    the soldier who had brought
    the fair maiden

    45. to the castle,
    took her back
    to her shack,

    46. on the grass-sea,
    on the prairie.
    But secretly.

    47. They walked away,
    to new days, either
    good

    48. or bad, on the earth
    of men (lit. humanity). And
    all men must walk.

    1. I’m not sure the text was sent correclty. There seem to miss some haïkus 1 to 22 and 28 to 37. Maybe the text is too long, but i’ll try once again to make sure

  24. Hello David! I don’t know how late the deadlines for the haiku competition are going to be, but here are my submissions.

    Vilajero Fini Zineye – The Failed Battle

    Mori arthasi.
    Dothraki sashi drivi.
    Yesi alaqi.

    They fall.
    New warriors die.
    Crones will weep.

    Zhilak Laqay – The mourning lover

    Vorsa sash ezhir,
    Yomm’ilek yeroon fin…
    Zoqwak kash kashi.

    New fire danced
    across your skin, which…
    I had once embraced.

    Arrane Khali Sindarina – the shaming of a weak khal

    Dozgo ejerva
    ilekhnhar’ khali sasha
    k’arakhi rhammen.

    The enemy removed
    the scalp of the new khal
    with his merciless arakh.

    Lastly, I’m going to attempt a haiku written in my current reconstruction of Protoplains, just as a fun/unique submission. I’ll leave a gloss with it too so you can critique it:

    Mori’lh Indee – They must drink

    Kash charak anək
    Folha alh dolhrakua,
    Kash doni qoya.

    /WHEN.CNJ.SUB HEAR-1s.AGR 1sg/
    /THROAT-PTV DRY RIDER-ABL.PL/
    /CNJ.SUB CALL.FOR-3p.AGR BLOOD-PTV/

    When I listen for
    the dry throats of the riders,
    they call for blood.

    1. Quick error correction for the Protoplains haiku

      Mori’lh Indee

      Kash charak anək
      Folhə alh dolhrakua,
      Kash doni qoyə

  25. I really have no idea how those guys are so good,
    Moras to me are mysterious, alas!
    Dante Alighieri was lost in a wood,
    Ariosto was willing to make the time pass,
    I’d write a poem too but I’m not in the mood,
    I have Google Maps and an hourglass.
    This competition’s a great idea
    Pronti partenza e adesso via.

    Please forgive me but I’m only halfway my Duolingo’s course and also terrible at poetry. I’m prone to prose.
    Also, moras are a incomprehensibles to me.

    Thanks for creating this competition anyway, and sorry about your 2017’s birthday.

  26. Hi! In the end I couldn’t resist trying.
    I know it’s really bad, really very very bad. I asked for some advices but I’m still learning. The good part, if there are some, are due to those advices.
    Please be merciful and do not shame me.

    Nuhus prūmius
    Adere sagon.
    Dōrī mēdo,

    Dōrenka daor,
    Se yn uja kesan
    Rāpa elillobe,

    Ia hae tīkobe,
    hae sōno
    ia sykaro iēdri,

    Kostilus drūr keson,
    Drūr ārli
    Arlikta sikan.

    Intended meaning:

    Let my hearth
    be smooth.
    Never of metal,

    nor of stone,
    I twill be
    soft like honey,

    Or as a feather,
    As snow
    or the water of a placenta,

    Please, tomorrow it shall be,
    tomorrow again
    My heart will be newer.

  27. I have 4 submissions!

    Anha vitihir
    athnemholazar yeri
    qaye, ven vod ath

    Hoeras yera
    Assamvas anna ovray
    Torga jalani

    Jin vo elain
    Me sorfo lei ajjin
    M’anha serisak

    Gadim anhoon
    Qorae yera qisi
    Ven lei mra yash

  28. Anha zal drivat –
    Jahak anni she rhaesh
    Anha sayenisa

    Translation:

    I wanted to die —
    My braid on the ground
    I was flushed with shame

    The story of a poor young warrior who had to lose his jahak after being shown mercy. I hope sayenisa is an acceptable verb to derive. Sanaccho!

  29. Hey David! Unfortunately Alizia couldn’t write her haiku since her schedule is so tight, and so I’m going to be writing one for her in her place. This one is dedicated to her brand new baby boy, Milo:

    Shekh sash yathoe
    Ma leshikhoon afazh
    khalakkasi has’

    The new sun rises
    With the warm breath
    of the clever prince

  30. Better late than never! Here’s a submission for the Dothraki portion; I took a few liberties with the translation back into English so that I could (unnecessarily though it may be) hit syllable count in both languages. Thank you for hosting the competition. :)

    Shekh Drivoy

    chaf jeshoy sash ray
    nemo jas m’oveth m’ezhir
    sh’os gezriveni

    mra jahakaan
    m’oleth oqooqosi
    khali drivoyi

    me laz remek chek
    she Mai Krazaaji
    ven vod chafaan

    .

    The Dying Sun

    E’er new iced wind did
    laugh n’dance n’soar herself
    In serpentine paths

    Within the proud braid
    And above the beating heart
    Of the dying khal

    Perhaps he’d sleep well
    On the Mother of Mountains
    Like dust in the wind

  31. Chafak e vaes’an
    Shiloa mahrazhes erin
    Azha sad maan

    hezha Qarthaan
    Kash shiloe rakh virzeth
    azha sad maan

    hezha jeser tim
    Rakh ray shiloe jano
    Azha sad maan

    hezha vaes driv
    Me shiloe havzi yof’
    Azh mae havz’an

    hezha krazaajan
    Kash shiloe khal veltor
    Azh mae khal’an

    Lejie sado sash
    Lava lekaan zafra ma
    Zafre jano foz

    Laz chara mem she
    Zhavvorsi krazaaj ido

  32. Intended meaning;

    A Traitor enters city
    He meets a kind man
    Traitor gives the man a drum

    The Man travels to Qarth
    Where he meets a boy
    He gives a drum to the boy

    He travels to western market
    Where he meets a dog
    He gives a drum to the dog

    He travels to the dead city
    Where he meets a horse
    He gives the horse a drum

    He travels to the mountain
    Where he meets a yellow king
    He gives the king a drum

    He (the king) plays the new drum
    Loud enough the orphan and
    The orphan’s old dog

    Can hear the sound in
    The dragon’s wooden mountain

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