Poetry Lovers: Do You Gogyohka?

According to The Spider Tribe’s Blog:

Gogyohka is a new form of Japanese short poetry, founded and pioneered by Japanese poet Enta Kusakabe. Gogyohka is pronounced go-gee-yoh-kuh (the “g”s are hard as in “good”), and literally translated means “five line poem.” Gogyohka is five lines of free verse on any subject matter. There is no set syllable pattern, however the poem should be short and succinct. The goal is to compellingly capture an idea, observation, feeling, memory, or experience in just a few words.

I love this form because it’s simple and beautiful.  Here are a few gogyohka I’ve written in the past couple of days… 

Hawaiian Summer
by Edie Montgomery-Pool

 

That summer in Hawaii
Hanging with fast boys
Chasing adventure
Jumping off waterfalls
Clothing optional

Granny’s Songs
by Edie Montgomery-Pool

 

Granny loved church hymns
Voice high and shrill
Full of joy
Loud enough
For the angels to hear

Heaven’s Jewel
by Edie Montgomery-Pool

 

Tiny woman
Big spirit
Big heart
My mother
Heaven’s most precious jewel

Add your own gogyohka in the comments section.  (Try it…it’s easy and fun!)

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Dark Poem – I Need You

A poem by moi…

I Need You
by Edie Montgomery-Pool

 

hold me

      until i

            suffocate

 

crush me

      leave no bone

            unturned

 

self hatred

      is my

            savior

 

but i cannot

      destroy

            this thing called me

                  alone

 

                        i need you

_______________

(You may reproduce this poem in part or whole, on or in a website, email, podcast, or broadcast; permission for electronic reproduction is granted on the provision that the website on which the poem is published is not a vanity publisher or a scam poetry contest which requires its “winners” to make a purchase or pay a fee before being published. You may also reproduce this poem in print material for which net profits do not exceed $1,000. Author name must be included in any reproductions, and author must be notified whenever this poem is, or parts of this poem are, used. For all other uses not mentioned here, just ask and I will most likely say yes.) 🙂

No Third Date

Okay, I wasn’t even sure I liked this online magazine upon first perusal, but now it is quickly becoming one of my favorites.  It’s quirky, strange, a little silly, and perhaps an acquired taste, but one I’ve now grown to love.

Don’t miss the poem by Marilyn Letts called No Third Date at Feathertale.com.  The last line/last reason for not having a third date was the best and had me chuckling.