A sijo
each ever spirals through substantial, intangible changes hardly aware, certainly unclear as cycles snap and twist coil together, one into the next resisting gravity
‘Ronovan Writes’ poetry challenge
Sijo Wednesday #8
Ronovan encourages poets to write sijos that include the words ‘rebirth’ or ‘change’ today.
Sijo?
A Korean verse form related to haiku and tanka and comprised of three lines of 14-16 syllables each, for a total of 44-46 syllables. Each line contains a pause near the middle, similar to a caesura, though the break need not be metrical. The first half of the line contains six to nine syllables; the second half should contain no fewer than five. Originally intended as songs, sijo can treat romantic, metaphysical, or spiritual themes. Whatever the subject, the first line introduces an idea or story, the second supplies a โturn,โ and the third provides closure. Modern sijo are sometimes printed in six lines.
Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.
–Ben Harper (b. 1969)
Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!
This was great David…Love spirals:):)
๐๐ Karima ๐๐
The perfect picture for poetry, David.๐
๐ Jane ๐
I enjoyed reading this style. Thank you for sharing.
โค๏ธ๐ Molly โค๏ธ๐
Deep and beautiful. Should be a movie dialogue. ๐
๐ Terveen ๐
These sijos like the haikus and tankas really grow on me
And you make them blossom and bloom so effortlessly
Even when adressing complicated themes such as transcending in the midst of challenges and difficulties, without falling.
Love the title of this piece David and how it fits in to the overall piece! ๐๐๐โค๏ธ
๐ Ken ๐
Reminds me of writing a poem with endless revisions, David! Interesting poem! โค
๐คโค๏ธ Cheryl โค๏ธ๐ค
Really nice visual – made me think of DNA changing and folding to compact into a new life….
๐๐ Muri ๐๐
aha ๐
๐๐ Barbara ๐๐