In my experience, 8+7 is the most rythm-friendly meter. Then comes 8+8, 7+8, 7+7, 6+6 and 7+6. 5+5+5+5 also makes a good rythm. So, if you want your ghazal for a sweet recital and singing, you should try one of the above meters. 8+7 is also the most common meter in Hindi songs. There must be some scientific (musical) reason for 8+7 to be the most melody-friendly meter. Any musicians ? **** *** *** *** *** The fewer the words, the more graceful a she is. In a sher, you put the essence, not the detail. If you need too many words to express your idea, this means your idea is still in the stage of an ore. You have not smelted it enough. You don't have the precious metal at your hand yet. Ideally, for a sher, you should have an idea, a story, an emotion that you can express in 6-7 words. Yes, just 6-7 words, not more. If you can not express it in 6-7 words, you are not ready for a sher yet. Go back and smelt it more. Pick up the most important parts and discard the rest. Keep doing it until you succeed to express it in 6-7 words. I said 6-7 words, because you will need 4-5 extra words to support your meter, rhyme and refrain. That's how you make a sher. So Shayari is extremely laborious, consuming and fine fine (yes double) art. ASAD (A sher a day) is not a joke. I would even marvel ASAW (A sher a week). *** *** *** As far as flexibility in meter is concerned, I think it is a must if ghazal is ever to flourish and I think it SHOULD be achieved by the freedom of counting the letters or syllables rather than not counting at all. The core idea, in my view, is that ghazal should be fit for a music composition, not some grammar. अहिलेलाई यत्ति नै