I am currently taking a course about sijo poetry. It’s free and fantastic, which I believe is provided by the Korean Cultural Society. The resources are amazing and they have a contest for students and adults in the spring and for international students in the fall.

Sijo is similar to a haiku, but it’s a far older form of poetry. It can be six lines, but it basically follows a specific formula of syllables. The first line introduces the theme or topic, the second advances the topic, and the third line provides a subtle shift or surprise. It’s a very musical type of poetry and was originally sung and then written down.

As a poet, I’m always going back and changing something. For my first sijo, I made several drafts, shared below.

Mourning Departure

Morning sky flings her gray veil lacy with fog across our land

We huddle, frozen with grief, spreading ashes, wringing our hands

Sun slivers whisper, rise spirits, as we stumble, numb and blind

Tearful Morning Journey

Morning sky flings her gray veil lacy with ash across our band.

We huddle like wingless birds, frozen in place, linking our hands.

Seek sun streaks in the smoky skies, whispering, rise spirits, rise!

Morning Departure

Morning sky flings her gray veil lacy with ash across our band.

We huddle like wingless birds, frozen with grief, linking our hands.

Sun slivers call your spirit home as we stumble numb and blind

My main intention was an attempt to create a sense of the living people being frozen and barely able to move compared to the loved one who was moving on into the sun streaks. I will continue with other topics, but it’s amazing how many hours I’ve spent on one three lined poem.

If you are interested in the contest for your students here is a link: https://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/sijo.php

In the meantime, I will continue with my shameless str