Sunday Scribblings #253: A GOAT, a Lira, and Magic

September 15th through October 14th is National Hispanic Heritage Month, and keeping that in mind, I bring you a compact Spanish poetic stanza – the five-line lira. Plus some more things that are in GOAT territory!

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Notepad and a pen over it with a cup of coffee next to it. words read Sunday Scribblings, and this is for Sunday Scribblings #160: WhimsiVerse Inspired by the Wonderful Dahl

Poetic Sundays: Five Lines of the Lira

For Hispanic Heritage Month, I thought I would try a Spanish poetic form: the lira.

The lira is a poetic stanza of only five lines, but with an interesting alternation between shorter and longer lines. I like the way that variation creates a kind of musical movement within such a small space.

It is a Spanish poetic form that became especially associated with Garcilaso de la Vega in the sixteenth century. Its name comes from the opening of his poem Ode to the Flower that is Known as Lira, which begins “Si de mi baja lira…” The form was later used by other important Spanish poets, including San Juan de la Cruz and Fray Luis de León.

So What is the Lira?

The lira is a short stanzaic form consisting of five lines, combining seven-syllable and eleven-syllable lines.

The Lira’s Characteristics

So the lira’s elements are that at its most basic, it is:

stanzaic: consists of five lines
syllabic: follows a 7/11/7/7/11 syllable pattern
rhymed: uses consonant rhyme in the pattern ABABB
musical: the alternation of shorter heptasyllabic and longer hendecasyllabic lines gives the stanza its distinctive rhythm

The structure looks like this:

7A
11B
7A
7B
11B

This five line poem is a wonderful way to show how we can make a small space hold something larger.

My Lira Attempt

The Promise of Chai

As I watch the steam in peace,
Kind of magical, warm swirls in the air,
Ah, every curl does please,
A waiting cup right there,
For chai’s promise – an answered prayer.

~ Vidya Tiru @ LadyInReadWrites.com

Six Degrees: When a GOAT Takes a Turn in the Air

A really late entry for Six Degrees once again…but here it is.

Here is my six degrees: Air – > When Breath Becomes Air -> D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. –> The G.O.A.T. Series –> Poonachi: or the Story of a Black Goat –> The Story of a Book –> Calvin Can’t Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie –> Air

Air – > When Breath Becomes Air

The word ‘air‘ links the first two books in my chain – Air by Christian Kracht and When Breath Becomes Air. As always, I am yet to read the book that is starting off this month’s six degrees – Air. But Paul Kalanithi’s When Breath Becomes Air is something that made a big impact on me, enough to now be among my favorite reads ever (and also for my son).

When Breath Becomes Air -> D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T.

The word ‘becomes’ takes me to the next book, D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. — a book that I am currently reading. I picked it up because I discovered it as part of coming up with this chain, and I am enjoying it so far!

D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. –> The G.O.A.T. Series

‘G.O.A.T.’ is what links this one to the next book — The G.O.A.T. Series. This is a fun series for young readers, offering an introduction to people who are legends in their fields — the GOATs (Greatest of All Time). I love books that manage to sneak in a little learning while still being enjoyable to read.

The G.O.A.T. Series –> Poonachi: or the Story of a Black Goat

And then, quite conveniently, the word ‘goat’ takes me to Poonachi: Or the Story of a Black Goat by Perumal Murugan, which I read earlier this year. Poonachi is such a memorable little goat, and the book is one of those deceptively simple stories that stays with you long after you finish it.

Poonachi: or the Story of a Black Goat –> The Story of a Book

From Poonachi, it is ‘the story of’ that takes me to The Story of a Book. This was such a sweet read, particularly for young readers, but I think readers of all ages can relate to a book that has its own story to tell. After all, we tend to think of books as objects we read, but this one invites us to think about the life of a book itself.

The Story of a Book –> Calvin Can’t Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie

‘The story of’ leads me to yet another ‘story’ – this time it is Calvin Can’t Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie – a book that talks about the power and pleasure of reading in a delightful way.

Calvin Can’t Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie –> Air

And this brings me neatly back to where I started. The word ‘fly’ takes me to air, bringing my six degrees back to the beginning in a full circle!

And there we have it: Air → When Breath Becomes Air → Becomes the G.O.A.T. → The G.O.A.T. Series → Poonachi: Or the Story of a Black Goat → The Story of a Book → Calvin Can’t Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie → Air. A rather windy little journey, as it turns out!

Recently

On My Blog and the Homefront

This feels like cheating here since I have not blogged for a long time nor consistently but keeping true to what I do here each time, below are my posts since the last Sunday Scribblings, which ~~seems~~ is ~~like~~ a blue moon or two ago! My links below literally take you back to April…guess I should write a memoir poem based on the story behind that 🙂

This past week was in celebration of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and the one we worship first. And this time around, with me still getting adjusted to new routines in my new teaching job, my daughter took over and did everything for the festivities.

Upcoming:

On My Blog and On the Homefront

We will be sending off my daughter for her next school year – how the years fly!

Celebrations

Literary Celebrations (close-to-it also!)

Literary birthdays this week include: H.G. Wells, Leonard Cohen, Stephen King on the 21st of Sept; Ramdhari Singh Dinkar on the 23rd; F. Scott Fitzgerald on Sept 24th; William Faulkner, Luanne Rice, Shel Silverstein, Kristin Hannah, Carlos Ruiz Zafón on the 25th; T.S. Eliot, Mark Haddon, and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar on the 26th; John Marsden and Louis Auchincloss on the 27th
It’s Hobbit Day on September 22, giving us the perfect excuse to enjoy a second breakfast, revisit Middle-earth, or simply celebrate all things cozy and adventurous. It’s also Dear Diary Day: a lovely reminder to pause, reflect, and write straight from the heart. 💛📖
Psst… did you know?! September 24 is National Punctuation Day! 🎉 Time to celebrate commas, question marks, exclamation points—and all the tiny but mighty symbols that help our writing make sense!
While September 25 is a day to celebrate stories in two wonderful ways: it’s Math Storytelling Day and National Comic Book Day! ➕📚💥 Whether you’re solving a problem through a story or getting lost in colorful panels and speech bubbles—there’s plenty to enjoy.
Followed by Love Note Day on the 26th of September. 💌 A perfect reason to write a tiny message of appreciation, encouragement, or affection—and brighten someone’s day.

Foodie Celebrations

On September 21, it’s National Chai Day and National Pecan Cookie Day. Which means this is the perfect time to enjoy a warm cup of chai with a cookie (or two!).
My sweet tooth will have plenty to celebrate on September 22. For it is National Ice Cream Cone Day and National White Chocolate Day. A scoop or two in a crunchy cone sounds like a perfectly reasonable way to celebrate! 🍦
Need something savory in between all that sweetness? National Snack Stick Day arrives on September 23. Also called an ideal excuse for a quick, tasty snack.
Then comes a festive pairing on September 24: National Cherries Jubilee Day and National Horchata Day. Bright cherries, cinnamon-y horchata, and a little extra sweetness? Yes, please! 🍒
Feeling like cooking? September 25 brings National Cooking Day and National Quesadilla Day. So let us cook up some warm, crispy, cheesy quesadillas with all our favorite fillings. 🧀
And September 26 is truly a day for indulging: National Dumpling Day, National Pancake Day, and National Key Lime Pie Day! Savory, fluffy, tangy… a complete menu of deliciousness. And key lime pie? I love it! 🥟🥞💚
Finally, National Chocolate Milk Day on September 27 offers a sweet, simple, nostalgic finish to this food-filled week. 🍫🥛

Other Celebrations and Observations

On September 21, the International Day of Peace, World Alzheimer’s Day, and World Gratitude Day invite us to pause, show kindness, honor loved ones, and be thankful.
Wildlife, wisdom, and friendship take the spotlight on September 22 with World Rhino Day, Elephant Appreciation Day, National Centenarians Day, and National Girls’ Night In Day. 🦏🐘💛
September 23 recognizes the International Day of Sign Languages, Celebrate Bisexuality Day, and National Teal Talk Day. Each of these are important reminders to listen, understand, and support one another.
September 24 brings Bluebird of Happiness Day, World Rivers Day, and World Bollywood Day. So let us look for joy, appreciate our rivers, and maybe dance a little! 💙🌊💃
It is time to celebrate daughters and dreams on September 25 with National Daughters Day and World Dream Day.
The 26th includes International Rabbit Day, Save Your Photos Day, National Ghost Hunting Day, and National Public Lands Day. This gives us a nice excuse to save our memories, get outdoors, and enjoy a little spooky fun! 🐇📷🌲
Finally, September 27 is World Tourism Day, National Day of Forgiveness, and National No Excuses Day. So maybe time to plan that trip, forgive a mistake, and let go of a grudge. ✈️🤍

Wrapped Up: My Sunday Scribblings

So dear reader, you have reached the end of this Sunday Scribblings! As always, I welcome your thoughts, comments, and suggestions about this post. Will you be attempting the lira? And, of course, do let me know if you plan to celebrate any of these mentioned celebrations this coming week/month?

Linking this to the Sunday Post over at the Caffeinated Reviewer and the Sunday Salon

Lady In Read Writes

A Blog(ful) Of Niches