Poetic Form: Sedoka

Dated: 2025 October 02

Image: Single Lit Candle

A katauta is a three-lined Japanese, unrhymed half-poem, consisting of numeric syllables in succession:  Genuine form, 5-7-7, or Acceptable form, 5-7-5.  It is concluded with a Sedokada, along with the katauta, it becomes a longer version of a sedoka (usually stands by itself, 5-7-7, 5-7-7).  A sedokada is the explanative of a katauta, which can have a precedent of one/ichi half-poem/ katauta, together with a sedokada, becomes a whole poem.  An important added factor when creating your first katauta and sedokada, particularly, the setup, incorporating the number of katauta, along with your onre sedokada, it'll resonate after you read the following: line three can set a scene, pose a question, or present an image, and line six, typically responds to the first stanza, offering a new perspective, or connects the reader to the emotion of the poem.  (The two katauta are an integral unit, where ichi katauta, line three, and ni katauta, become line six, and then the sedokada becomes its own intercessor/mediator, incorporating both lines three and six).  Longer versions can have more than one katauta, but it's best to exercise discipline for Japanese versions.  English versions have been extensive, but the shortened words, or less syllabic usage per line, is not an acceptable practice in katauta or sedokada forms. 

A last IMPORTANT POINT:  Katauta and sedokada are poems for lovers, and it's not limited to couples.  As the above discloses the love of nature, love of the destitute, love of a particular sport, hobby, food, animal, color, painting, music, celebrity, to name a few.