Sijo

Sijo is a classic Korean poetic form somewhat resembling haiku in its oft focusing on subjects in nature. American poets may do best to think in terms of three long lines averaging 14-16 syllables, the second line the longest. Each line has a point of rest approximately in the middle.

The first line states a theme, usually some situation or problem, the second line develops it, often countering it in some way, and the third line resolves tension between the two lines, using a kind of surprise twist.

Because the 14 syllables in English is often too unwieldy, the lines are often divided at the rest point, and appears as a six-line poem.

Here is a factual, but also a bit tongue-in-cheek example of my own, merely to help describe the form light-heartedly:

how lovely a sijo, three phrases
sometimes six, cut in half
flowing as music from a poet’s pen
then turning in a twist
to re-orient a broad cheek
smiling back with toothy grin

© MLee Dickens’son 06 Dec 2004

and here are a couple of links that will assist well in forming your own:

Sijo, a Korean form

and

Sijo

Here is another way to define the Sijo:
More ancient than haiku, the Korean SIJO shares a common ancestry with haiku, tanka and similar Japanese genres. All evolved from more ancient Chinese patterns. Sijo is traditionally composed in three lines of 14-16 syllables each, totaling between 44-46 syllables. A pause breaks each line approximately in the middle; it resembles a caesura but is not based on metrics. You will also see this form broken from three lines into six-line format.

Best site for examples of Sijo poetry IMHO: http://thewordshop.tripod.com/Sijo/masters.html

You also might wish to visit: http://members.tripod.com/~Startag/IntroSijo.html

I personally own two books of Sijo poetry - check them out when you have time:
This one has modern versions of the form -- "Modern Korean Verse in Sijo Form" - Selected and Translated by Jaihiun Kim
For the ancient poets - "Sunset in a Spider Web; Sijo Poetry of Ancient Korea" by Virginia Olsen Baron

I think this is my favorite:

Oh that I might capture the essence of this deep midwinter night
And fold it softly into the waft of a spring-moon quilt
Then fondly uncoil it the night my beloved returns.

...Hwang Chin-i (1522-1565) most revered female Korean classical poet
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Here are three I've recently written:

Sijo Sojourn #1



Zephyr
Am I a zephyr in this lifetime...a temporal passing-by?
I have breezed through a few open windows...perchance touched some souls inside.
Upon my passing, push aside mourning shades...let this zephyr in.


Winds
Gentle winds lifted shades from pillowed view; now suspended, days slant.
Every sunlit morning thins; transparent rays promise finite warmth.
Translucent, the fabric of infinity has filtered my soul.


Breeze
Some chilled breeze determined to claim my bones, blows the frail shades aside.
Feeling like the last leaf on an old tree, my days exhaled and sighed.
A hardened stone or flower in the leaves? My offspring will decide.

© Norman S. Pollack 10/2006




Norm

First I wanted to thank you Daniel for the excellent information you've provided to start this Form's thread. I find this form exciting, and I cannot wait to have a go at it. (I've been trying to do one all day, but keep using white out on my computer screen) LOL

And Norm, thank you -

For the specific links as well, with the additional information on the form's history and the additional links to learn more and the examples... I do love what you've done with the form...it is brilliant!

Best to you both and I will be back As soon as I can create one of my own! :)

Liz

Hello all!

Most interesting enlightenment!

Thank you for this.

PP

very much Daniel and Norm for enlightening us to this form. It is certainly very beautiful and the examples you've both offered express the form very well.

Is it fair to say that Sijo is a lyrical verse most often either narrative or thematic, with strong foundation in nature (resembling Haiku)?

QUOTE

how lovely a sijo, three phrases
sometimes six, cut in half
flowing as music from a poet’s pen
then turning in a twist
to re-orient a broad cheek
smiling back with toothy grin

I adore poems written that decribe the form's specific parameters. This one is excellent.

Daniel (and anyone else interested), would you like to plan a project where we'd take all our forms posted here (and any new ones) and write examples in this fashion? I know you've done this for my Octa Tri as well in the past and I find it a wonderful instructional guide to offer.
If so, we can start a separate thread for this project here in Karnak (and can make it a sticky topic).

QUOTE

Am I a zephyr in this lifetime...a temporal passing-by?
I have breezed through a few open windows...perchance touched some souls inside.
Upon my passing, push aside mourning shades...let this zephyr in.

Norm, I admire the question you've posed in L1 - temporal - a unique word choice.
I really find much meaning in L2 - very profound actually. The essense and spirit live on through your words, the Ka if you will. Great conclusion, "mourning" lets us know the audience's emotional state.

Well done!
~Cleo