renewal

no amount of sun will burn this fog away
somewhere in the world a fire burns
hints of blue sky visible beyond the smoky veil
forecast: hot as hell with a chance of wildfires
and then it rained…and rained…and rained

~kat

And so ends our week with the Gogyohka. Though it presented very few rules aside from five lines, it was the condition that each line be a complete thought that had me a bit flummoxed. I’m finding that even relatively easy forms at first glance present their own challenges! Next week I’ll be exploring the Tableau. It’s metered and rhymed, and allows run-on lines (which I love), all packed into six lines. It also allows me to incorporate my photo art creations given that a tableau is defined as …

1. a picture, as of a scene

2. a picturesque grouping of persons or objects; a striking scene.

So we shall see. I am looking to this form to force me to be present in a specific moment that I plan to memorialize with a photo on my phone. Being present, pausing, breathing, and visualizing into verse. 😊

And finally, in case you’d like to try it, here are the bones of a Gogyohka…

Gogyohka

Five rules of Gogyohka by Enta Kusakabe (1983).

• Gogyohka is a new form of short poem that is based on the ancient Japanese Tanka and Kodai kayo.

• Gogyohka has five lines, but exceptionally may have four or six.

• Each line of Gogyohka consists of one phrase with a line-break after each phrase or breath.

• Gogyohka has no restraint on numbers of words or syllables.

• The theme of Gogyohka is unrestricted.

devolution

we say we miss the good old days
remembering selectively
longing for a fantasy 
denial of reality, history ignored
doomed are we in perpetual repeat

~kat

Gogyohka

Five rules of Gogyohka by Enta Kusakabe (1983).

• Gogyohka is a new form of short poem that is based on the ancient Japanese Tanka and Kodai kayo.

• Gogyohka has five lines, but exceptionally may have four or six.

• Each line of Gogyohka consists of one phrase with a line-break after each phrase or breath.

• Gogyohka has no restraint on numbers of words or syllables.

• The theme of Gogyohka is unrestricted.

sky-scaping

there’s a storm brewing
gray clouds swallowing the sky
thunder rumbling 
I should take shelter but I’m transfixed
cloud gazing

~kat

Gogyohka

Five rules of Gogyohka by Enta Kusakabe (1983).

• Gogyohka is a new form of short poem that is based on the ancient Japanese Tanka and Kodai kayo.

• Gogyohka has five lines, but exceptionally may have four or six.

• Each line of Gogyohka consists of one phrase with a line-break after each phrase or breath.

• Gogyohka has no restraint on numbers of words or syllables.

• The theme of Gogyohka is unrestricted.