Dodoitsu

A Dodoistu is a type of poem that is sometimes performed as a folk song. This form of poetry was mainly handed over through oral traditions. In addition, Dodoistu was performed to the accompaniment of special instruments.

Dodoistu is a Japanese form of poetry developed towards the end of Edo period, which ended in 1868. Dodoistu stems from the ancient agricultural roots of the Gombei, the natives of Japan's back-country.

In most cases, Dodoistu has a comical twist, and it mainly focuses on love, humor, work or the unexpected. However, there're still Dodoistu poems that focus on beauty and nature.

Like most of the Japanese forms of poetry, Dodoistu is not characterized by rhyme or meter constraints but rather focuses on syllables.

Talking of syllables, a Dodoistu poem is among the longest Japanese poetry form. Dodoistu is made up of four lines, with the first three lines consisting of seven syllables. The fourth and final line has five syllables only. 

The Dodoitsu is a fixed folk song form of Japanese origin and is often about love or humor. It has 26 syllables made of of four lines of 7, 7, 7, 5 syllables respectively. It is unrhymed and non-metrical.

Example

Buried Treasure

Gemstones the size of grapefruit
hide camoflaged in the rocks
buried like a treasure chest
waiting to be found.

Copyright Suzanne Honour 2002-2003