tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Oct 17 09:34:43 1999
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Qor Hayqu' [KLBC]
Greetings to the Empire!
As already threatened by me, here another haiku along with explanatory
remarks.
Kor's haiku:
Kor says in DS9 "The Dahar Master": "Enjoy the fruits of life while
they are fresh, for later they turn bitter" (approximate quote).
Kor has greatly come down in life, having lost all power and position.
He fails miserably as Third Officer on General Martok's ship, as he seems
to be suffering from a mild form of Altzheimer, but later dies most
honorably while saving two ships from a Jem Hadar attack, thus redeeming
himself.
Qor Hayqu': (5-7-5 syllable form again)
morning fruit has flavor [yes, I know it's plural in t.H.]
po naHmey tlhorghqu'
evening fruit has lost it's tang
[when night is reached the food is dull]
ram SIchpu'DI' jejHa' pach
a fierce bird soars (to new heights)
[a bird of prey flies and has maneuvered perfectly]
puv toQ 'ej QoDta'
Nice food metaphors {{:-)
I am worried about the syntax though...
According to KGT, Klingons do not enjoy fresh fruit, they prefer it
overripe, thus the English simile cannot be used in tlhIngan Hol.
Their favorite flavour is not sweet, as for humans, but spicy or sharp
= tlhorgh.
Therefore, a different metaphor (daytime) is used to hint at youth and old
age. Is there no word for evening?
The expression "lost it's tang" = jejHa' pach means "the claw is dull"
(KGT), or "the food tastes dull". Here I also allude to an old man having
lost his cutting edge...
toQ = "fierce bird, bird of prey" is the actual bird the Klingon ship
model takes it name from. Here this of course alludes to the vessel Kor
takes into battle to gloriously die, whilst performing unheard-of maneuvers.
This haiku turned out rather deep (a bit Japanese), I hope the gentle
reader still can follow {{:-) . Therefore, I decided to give this one a real
title.
*waiting for criticism*
taj'IH