Dodoistu is a Japanese form of poetry that is sometimes performed as a folk song. The Dodoitsu comes from the old agricultural roots of the Gombei, the people of Japan’s back-country. The majority of Dodoistu poetry was handed down through oral tradition and was performed to the accompaniment of shamisen, a three- stringed instrument.
A lot of Dodoistu poetry focuses on love, humor or the unexpected, though there are many Dodoistu poems that also look at nature and beauty.
It has 26 syllables: 7 in the first, second and third lines, and 5 in the last line. (7/7/7/5).
Example Poem
‘Tis Better… (A Dodoistu)
All triumphs end differently,
some with flourish and refrains,
some with frequent curtain calls,
others fade to black.
© Lawrencealot – Oct. 19, 2012
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