More Syllabic Poetry

Summary

The website content introduces the Dodoitsu, a traditional Japanese syllabic poetry form, and invites writers to participate in a monthly prompt to create poems using this form.

Abstract

The web content delves into the Dodoitsu, a Japanese poetic form that emerged during the Edo period, characterized by a 7–7–7–5 moraic structure and typically humorous themes related to love or work. The article encourages writers to engage with this form by contributing to a monthly writing prompt, with submissions to be shared in "The Bazaar of the Bizarre" publication on Medium. The author of the content, MDSHall, provides an example of their own Dodoitsu poem and emphasizes the importance of having fun with the form, even if it means bending the rules. Writers are also instructed to tag their submissions appropriately to facilitate discovery and community engagement.

Opinions

The author expresses a preference for the Dodoitsu form, highlighting its historical significance and its roots in Japanese folk song traditions.
There is an open invitation to the writing community, suggesting a collaborative and inclusive approach to the prompt.
The author encourages creativity and flexibility, suggesting that it's acceptable to adapt the rules to suit the writer's vision, as long as the core structure of the Dodoitsu is maintained.
The use of tags and linking back to the original post indicates a desire to foster a sense of community and cross-promotion among writers on the platform.
The author's enthusiasm for the form is evident, as they not only explain its history and structure but also provide a personal example and encourage others to explore and enjoy the poetic form.

Background

Dodoitsu (都々逸) is a form of Japanese poetry developed towards the end of the Edo period, which came to an end in 1868. Often concerning love or work, and usually comical, Dodoitsu poems consist of four lines with the moraic structure 7–7–7–5 and no rhyme for a total of 26 morae, making it one of the longer Japanese forms. The form, tone and structure of Dodoitsu derive from Japanese folk song traditions. Dodoitsu poetry is referenced in the manga and anime series Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū in reference to its historical recitation by dancers in Japanese red-light districts.

Below is the link to an example written by myself and originally posted in the Sky Collection.

In this poem, each stanza is in the form of a dodoitsu, syllabically (but not thematically).

A MYRIAD OF FORM(S)

More Syllabic Poetry

Monthly Prompt №5.1:August — introducing the dodoitsu

Background

2 Flew to the City of Angels

Or: Lost Angeles, as it read in some graffiti

The Prompt