Issue Four January 2016
Gogyoshi Monthly Issue Four February 2016
Declaration of Gogyoshi
What is Gogyoshi?
Gogyoshi is a poem written in five lines. Writing a poem in five lines is its only rule. The content of gogyohshi is free, its themes are chosen by the poet. There are other five-line poetries in the world, for example, gogyohka, tanka, cinquain, and limerick. These poetries have certain rules such as number of permitted syllables, line lengths, and rhyme. Gogyohshi has no such rules. It is the freest form of five-line poetry in the world. But gogyohshi doesn’t permit to be written in 4 or 6 lines, though gogyohka occasionally permits this. Gogyohshi is written only in five lines. If the poem is written in four lines, we should call it “Yongyohshi”meaning a poem written in four lines. If the poem is written in six lines, you should call it Rokugyohshi” meaning a poem … written in six lines. As for a title, some Japanese poets add it to gogyohshi and others don’t.I will always add a title to my Japanese and English gogyohshi because I can’t tell one gogyohshi from the other. If I add it to my many gogyohshi, I will be able to tell them apart. I will write a short title in all capital letters so that readers don’t misunderstand the title as one line of 6 lines poetry. Gogyohshi is for me 5 lines poetry with a short title. But it isn’t the same as cinquain because it has no syllabic restraints unlike cinquain. While Gogyohka is trademarked in Japan, gogyohshi is not so. Because Gogyohshi doesn’t belong to any special person but to everyone. Most Japanese gogyohka poets belong to gogyohka groups and follow the leaders of such groups. Most Gyohshi poets do not belong to any group and write as they please. In conclusion, among world five-line poetries, gogyohshi is closest to gogyohka in form. The primary differences between them lie in gogyohshi’s adherence to the rule of 5-line. Adding a title to them depends on the poet. A gogyohshi poet has no rule except writing a poem in five lines. This is my Declaration of Gogyoshi.
Reproduced with the permission of Taro Aizu
Steve Black
for my sins the walk of shame down a one way street like she said i fell in love too easy
somehow she manages to conjure a new red dress from the bag so she tries it on again
stuck between basement and first floor the alarm bell broken for as long as i can remember
world within a world the one i can't live without she strings me along
winter flu dying on the toilet pictures with quotes wise words indeed condescending on the wall
Pat Geyer sing at dawn sing at dusk... the birds still remember all we have forgotten
stuffed in a shirt of many colors bow tie just so... 'neath the brim of his cool hat he wears a cold shoulder
gatherings i give my guests painted corn... the popping of clouds in a thunder storm
dark clouds smother all bright thoughts... my inner fire snuffed out
pearls tangle in her gray hair... a fish scale decorates her garden soil
Ed Bremson
birds singing… and in the intervals of silence, the solemnity of sunset
divine… the rich yet guarded voices of birds singing just before dawn
so much depends on one little star… morning and night hour after hour year after year of our lives
Joyce Joslin Lorenson crossing the arched temple bridge flooded with impure thoughts
Autumn Bancha the final harvest in an eddy of tea recollected travels swirling in the steam
thin glow of gold fading in the west a cold silence fills the ruts in yesterday's snow
torched maple and moldering oak rabbit fur begins to thicken grasses bow to coming winter
they say that every sound made is somewhere in space your words in the wind