Rest
I yearn for easy days - extra sleep, taking time to read, breathe.
Reprieve from busy day chaos (sans rush). Time to simply be.
Looming headache, body aches, stuffy nose...provides forced lengthy rest.
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| These all give me relief so I can rest better |
Above is my first attempt at a sijo poem. Sijo is a Korean poetic form, reported to be even older than Haiku. A sijo poem is three lines long and each line ranges from 14-16 syllables long. In all, a sijo poem ranges from 44-46 syllables.
Below is the basic structure of a sijo poem:
- Line one is the introduction to the idea or theme of the poem.
- Line two develops the idea or theme or topic more into depth. It can also be a line where there is a "turn."
- Line three is how the poem concludes, but there is usually some sort of a twist or even a joke. This can be irony or humor, a play on words, or a pun.
According to Writer's Digest, I learned that Sijos are meant to be songs. They can also be funny or personal or something about the mind. Each line is supposed to have some sort of a break or pause in the middle of the line. Finally, the last line needs some sort of a twist in meaning. Some sijo poems are six lines long. According to the Poetry Foundation, a six line sijo is more common for modern sijo poems. This is especially true for those written in English.
I first heard of sijo poems when I read Linda Sue Park's Tap Dancing on the Roof (Clarion Books, 2007). However, it wasn't until today that I tried one out. I found writing a sijo to be more challenging than it looked, but these kind of writing challenges entice me. (And yes, if you are wondering, dear reader, I really have been sick. My daughter was sick last week, gifted her cold to me, and I spent most of last weekend in bed. I am ready to feel healthy again.)
Perhaps you will try your pen at writing a sijo and share it with me!
