Tuesday, 10 November 2026

November PAD Chapbook Challenge – Day 10: Waka/Waka-less

 
Day 10: write a ‘poetic form’ poem, and/or write an ‘anti-form’ poem (see link)
 
The waka is a Japanese 5-line poem (or stanza) with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable per line structure.
The first 2 lines should make up one piece, the next 2 lines should make the next,
and the final line can stand on its own or as part of the second group.


 
Waka
 
What is form but formless,
without foundation of choice inflex reflex auto,
smash-and-grab of ideas,
bereft of blueprint, line, fleshed-out arc.
Moving pictures walking inside out of themselves.


 
Waka-less

Moon flit, cut felt,
cherry blossoms blow-out rhyme
falling, a slide out of flux,
rewind, rewound, unwind, unfound,
sunken states of passing light. 


 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, November 10, 2026


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