Poetry Forms

Dodoitsu

Dodoitsu

The Dodoitsu is an old Japanese song, written in 26 syllables. Its origin can be found in
the old agricultural roots of the Gombei, the people of Japan's back-country.

The Dodoitsu is a folk song and was performed to the accompaniment of the shamisen, a three-stringed instrument. Dodoitsu songs have love/romance, or a healthy sense of humour in them. They call them the Japanese limerick, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use other topics to write a good dodoitsu.

How is a dodoitsu built up?
Line 1: 7 syllables
Line 2: 7 syllables
Line 3: 7 syllables
Line 4: 5 syllables










An example : "Stars"

amazed, I’m watching the sky
a carpet of stars so bright
in the dark, bringing us light…
guidance in the dark


Sources :
http://www.home.mpinet.net/rbender/paperlanterns/aboutdodoitsu.html
http://jtrad.columbia.jp/eng/u_dodoitsu.html
poem example:© Bianca Boonstra 2002