We’ve done a poem with two lines and one with three lines, how about today, for April 4th we do one with FOUR lines? We’re movin’ on up!!
We are going
to write a DODOITSU poem today. Fun times!!!
The Dodoitsu
has even been called the “Japanese
limerick” as most revolved
around love, work, and daily life from a humorous perspective. As a general rule, they did not explore deep thoughts. Instead, they were used as a way to
record those off-the-wall funny moments in one’s day.
Like many
Japanese poetry styles, this one focuses on counting syllables – but today’s
format is a little different ~
Here’s an
interesting tidbit:
Dodoitsu poems were favored by working-class
citizens. The name’s translation is basically, “quickly, city to city.” They appeared
around the late 1860s.
Here is the
format:
FOUR LINES: (only counting syllables – no
rhyming required, nor excluded . . . just whatever).
The first 3 lines ALL HAVE SEVEN SYLLABLES.
And the 4th line has FIVE SYLLABLES.
That’s it ~
simple, right? Yeah, that’s what I thought. You give it a try. Write as many as
suits your fancy today.
Don’t forget your handy dandy Syllable Counter!
I suggest
you use that counter!! I was sure the last line on my first poem was only 5
syllables, but I put all four lines into the syllable counter and I had 7
syllables in the first three lines, but SIX in the last one instead of the
required FIVE!! Don’t trust yourself to just know the number of syllables! I
had to change the wording (I first tried: “Did you see the squirrel?” which
turned out to be 6 syllables. So I
adjusted it to: “Look! It's a squirrel!” and that was exactly 5
syllables). The same thing happened with the second poem – I was sure I had the
syllables correctly, and when I checked, I had 8 where I was supposed to have 7. I’m
trying to precisely follow the formats for the 30-day challenge – when I’m on my
own, I can break rules and do whatever, because we’re writing . . . poetry! BUT
for the challenge, it’s good practice for you to follow the rules exactly. You
can be a rule breaker in May! Cheers!
Here are some
examples I wrote:
Today I will get things done
Others do it, why not me?
Look! It's a squirrel!
©
2025 Stephanie Abney
We played silly card games
Driving home, we stopped for treats?
What a perfect night!
©
2025 Stephanie Abney
Still, I write this little rhyme
A moment here, moment there
Need a Cherry Coke!
© 2021 Stephanie Abney
PLEASE
REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on
this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without
my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to
someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this
blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative
property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and
no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own
the copyright to them as soon as they create them and especially once they post
them. Thanks so much!
*** Also, if you choose to
post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ that’s awesome.
But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post
your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO EACH DAY’S
SPECIFIC BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent
considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share
with you. Thanks for respecting my work.
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