SIJO

Sijo, from Korea, is a 3-line syllable count structure.  The word,  pronounced shee'-jo,  is both singular and plural like our word sheep. It looks like this:

Winter taps the windows Morse-coding "Come out! Come out!"
Wet winter birds in the yard sit upon a lonely swing set.
Idle boys indoors watch rain drops racing down muddy window panes.

The above poem may also be written as six half lines:

Winter taps the windows
Morse-coding "Come out! Come out!"
Wet winter birds in the yard
sit upon a lonely swing set.
Idle boys indoors watch rain drops
racing down muddy window panes.

In Korean Sijo, you expect to find a serious message in a short poem that is quite phrasal.  The phrasal quality contributes to its musicality.  Sijo began as music, in fact.  Its history is available on the internet.   

   

 Each line of a Sijo must contain 14-16 syllables. It must not contain fewer than 14 or more than 16.  The total syllable count for the whole poem is 44-46.  This means you cannot write 3 lines of 14 syllables because the total count is only 42.  Likewise, you cannot write 3 lines of 16 syllables because the total count is 48. Writing three lines of 15 syllables is possible for a total of 45. So, in your sijo attempts, you will more often have a combination of counts (for example: 14/15/16, 16/16/14, or 15/15/16).

Don't be intimidated by the seeming math requirements here. After a little practice, all this will come quite naturally.

The Message:   In line 1, introduce your serious subject. In line 2, develop that subject further.  In line 3, finish the message, coming full circle and satisfying the reader.  For example:
1)  Ask a question,
     discuss it,
     suggest an answer.
Or
2) Present an issue,
    discuss it,
    resolve it.
Or
3) Call attention to a problem,
    enlarge upon it,
    offer a solution.

In addition, the poet is expected to put a "surprise" (a kicker) in line three, preferably the first half, called the twist. This is not limited to a surprise in the poem's message; it can, in fact, be a surprise in sound, tone or technique. In translations from Korean, the twist or surprise can be quite subtle.

 Balance:  The "bottom line" in sijo is balance.  In a 14-syllable line, for example, 7 syllables should fall in each half, ideally.  The next best thing is 6 and 8.  In a 15-count line, the best balance is 7 and 8 or and reverse.  In a 16-count line, the ideal balance is 8 and 8.  Perfection is not always possible, but to succeed in writing sijo, you  must strive for that.

As if that were ot enough, here's the bad news. Your work with balance is not limited to the half line. You must also strive for balance in each quarter line. Thus, in a 16-count line, with 8 syllables in each half, the quarters ideally contain 4 syllables.In each line, the poet seeks balance in the halves and the quarters.  Again, perfection may not be attainable, but come as close as you can.   

Always keep in mind that Sijo is musical and phrasal; the phrasal quality is quite basic to the form. Your poem should contain
1) a worthy message (never humorous or comedic)
2) correct syllable count in each line
3) balance of syllable count in each half line and each quarter line.     

        

Here are two more very worthy examples of sijo for you: 

Remember when we made a seine
of gunny-sacks and broomsticks?

Soaked to the waist, we filled milk-pails 
with channel-cat and crawdads.

A snapping turtle snagged our net
and bit clear through a broomstick.

How lovely is this spruce tree, 
its limbs laden with virgin snow,

the blood red on a robin's breast, 
the sky blue of a mountain jay.

For such wonder, what wise man
would not know his Creator? 

Contact the blogger at
florencebruce@att.net