Pashto Poetry Rubai http://www.khybermail.com.pk/city/morenews.htm
A Rubai is alway writen in the form of a Ghazal strictly in praise of the Almighty God. It can be sung with or without musical accompaniment, and is usually sung as a foreword to a Ghazal.
Na’at
A Na’at describes either some religious event, a holy person, or praises Almighty God. It can be excessively long. It is sung, strictly without any music, but usually based on the tune of one or another popular song.
Ghazal
A Ghazal is the darling of lovers. It’s form is confined to strict equational, lyrical verses. It can be of any number of verses, but is generally not too long. It is written to address the beloved, whether esoteric or romantic. It is usually read aloud or sung and/or is accompanied by music.
Char Beta
A Char Beta is comprised of four verses, but not all of the same length. The first and the third verses are of equal length and rhyme, but they do not rhyme with the second and the fourth verses which are both either 1/3 (one third) or 1/2 (one half) or of full length, the size of the first and the third verses, and rhyme with one another, but do not rhyme with the first and third verses.
This form is repeated to the desired length of the Charbeta. It is usually sung with a lead singer, and an accompanied singer who sings selected words repetitiously and is also accompanied by music, generally, in allegro tempo.
Tappa/Landai
A Tappa is comprised of one and one half (1 1/2) verses, and is not confined to any specific subject. It is the most beautiful and most common form of poetry in the Pashto language. There are thousands of such verses around, the writers of whom are not known, as almost every Pashtoon in the small villages and towns (especially women) have written or memorized hundreds of these verses, and commonly use them to give an example or in sarcasm. Older women are frequently overheard humming these verses, longing something or someone. It is usually sung very loudly and at a high pitch, and a distant sound can be heard of someone singing Tappa in the mountains, valleys or the wilderness. It is also sung by groups of people taking turns, and usually singing in relation to the verse of the precedeing singer, accompanied by music.
Badala/Kissa
A Badala/Kissa is a story, usually about some romantic or fantastic myth. It is also witten in Ghazal form, and is generally quite long. It is sung at high and low pitch in musical gatherings by one or more than one person often taking turns with selected and memorized parts of the whole story. It is often broken up by anyone within the gathering with an occasional Tappa, but to the same beat and rythm, wether related or not to part of the story that is interrupted.
Matkha
A Matkha is not confined to a specific lyrical structure but is usually song like and can take almost any form. It is only written to honor someone deceased, usually someone famous or prominent. Parts of Matkha at times are seen engraved on tombstones. It can also be sung but without music.
Sandera
A Sandera is a common song and does not need a description.