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!
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?
Never mind my first comment. I apparently didn’t read properly where it says that word-final consonants are extrametrical.
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…
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?
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
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…
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…
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?
Sorry, should be «fesat» and «affesat».
Yes! It was correct as you used it.
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”
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.
…correcting the last stanza (missing 2 mora on the middle line):
Keskydoso
pār ziry gōntis,
vala mērpa.
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!
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”
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…
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….
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…
Hīltas. Hae
aderē jelmiot –
sȳndror iojiar.
Ninkiot kesot
Zoklītsos hīghas,
Sōna ropas
Urnēptes
Yn arlie rūklon!
Urnios daor?
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?
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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? )
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.
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
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.
Quick error correction for the Protoplains haiku
Mori’lh Indee
Kash charak anək
Folhə alh dolhrakua,
Kash doni qoyə
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.
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.
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
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!
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
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
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
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