A Choka
a letdown for him yet one more disappointment my shitty longhand he noted nonchalantly had much concerned him before he had concluded my generation needed but know how to type my shitty longhand would not be an obstacle like some of my other traits
Choka?
The most intricate Japanese Poetry form is the Choka, or Long Poem. The early form consisted of a series of katauta joined together. This gives a choice of form structures of 5/7/5/5/7/7โฆ etc., or: 5/7/7/5/7โฆ etc.
The Choka could be any total line length and indeed many exceeded 100 lines. Looking at this, it is easy to see why Poetic Historians believe the katauta is the original basic unit of Japanese poetry using either the 17 or 19 unit onji.
d’Verse Quadrille #157
The above choka is my take on dโVerseโs Quadrille challenge.
The Quadrille is simply a poem of 44 words (excluding the title), and it can take any form. This weekโs challenge was to use the word โtypeโ in a Quadrille.
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!
The Skeptic's Kaddish ๐ฎ๐ฑ 
I found this one sad and wonderful.
๐๐๐ป Molly ๐๐ป๐
Well, anecdotally doctors have illegible handwriting. ..
โค๏ธ๐๐ป Marion ๐๐ปโค๏ธ
My handwriting has definitely gone downhill after years on the keyboard. Hey, if you are not already, you could be a doctor! Worse handwriting of all and no one seems to care. Problem solved.
๐งก๐๐ป Mish ๐๐ป๐งก
“Hey, fix what you can.” Loved that underlying message! ๐
๐๐๐ป Susan ๐๐ป๐
Not too proud of my longhand too!
Keyboard is certainly a saviour.
As always, I enjoyed your verse.โค๏ธ
๐๐๐ป Punam ๐๐ป๐
I mourn the lack of cursive being taught in school. Yeah…all they need to know is peck, peck, peck. A person’s penmanship is as identifying as a fingerprint. And thanks for introducing another form of poetry. Sigh…I have so much to learn.
๐ Yvonne ๐ ~ thank you so much. Regarding the form, it’s all online – it’s just a matter of some exploring on Google ๐
Much love,
David
Oh I know a few people like that. One canโt read their writing at all.
๐ Sadje ๐
๐๐ผ
Yes, thank God for keyboards for us shitty longhands.I enjoyed reading your choka/quadrille, David.
๐๐๐ป Tanmay ๐๐ป๐
The keyboard . Yes keyboard for me as well.
Much๐love
โค Thanks, Gillena โค
Hahaha! “shitty longhand” ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐ป Ken ๐๐ป๐
Oh my goodness
Who was going at you in this way?
Why were you guys arguing about your personality traits for that matter?
I on the otherhand think that the younger generations have a terrible longhand in comparison.
Funny enough, the other day I wrote in a card and I was not impressed by my own cantankerous handwriting, at all.
You always master the strokes David. Ingenious the way in which you employed the Choka for the prompt.
How you got those 44 words together to explain the gripe that person was having with you, is simply brilliant.
๐ฅ๐๐ป Abi ๐๐ป๐ฅ
๐, what. Itโs not so bad. You worked through it well.โค
Typing does solve the bad handwriting problem, as long as you hit the right keys and listen to the grammar corrector! Well done, David!
๐ค๐๐ป Dwight ๐๐ป๐ค
Sadly longhand isn’t what it used to be. I remember as a young child at school we were taught to write longhand quite elegantly. It was practice, practice, practice. But now as an old[er] person my longhand is atrocious! Your poem though, was wonderful David!
๐๐๐ป Carol ๐๐ป๐