I was looking for a poetry form to write/write about, and came across the Jintishi.
The Chinese poetic term “Jintishi” means “modern form poetry”. There was something I read about “tones”: a level tone and three deflected tones (?) that I didn’t understand.
I noted from an example and reading further that the lines of a Jintishi contain roughly eight to ten syllables each, and the rhyme scheme is a,a,b,b (continuing c,c,d,d/e,e,f,f etc. depending on how long the poet wishes to write the poem. The example I read also had four lines per stanza. My attempt is below.
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I want to write a Jintishi
But how, exactly, I don’t see
So starting on this page I’ll write
Don’t know if it will turn out right !
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By the directions I’m confused
Though they’re similar to things I’ve used
I do not get some of the terms;
They kind of make me want to squirm.
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What is all of this about “tones”?
Knowledge of that I do not own.
What does this mean; and, what is that?
Could someone tell me where I’m at?
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The Jintishi form I have now tried
Can’t say I’m feeling any pride
For this “thing” that I have turned out
I don’t think it has Jintishi “clout”.
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I want to write, but I don’t know
If Jintishi is the way to go;
So this one will be a bit short
Think I’ll sail to other poetic ports !
© Stacey Uffelman 9-21-15
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Given the fact that I didn’t understand what was meant by the different “tones” mentioned in the directions that I read, my writing above probably has something “wrong” with it as opposed to being a proper/correct poem as far as a Jintishi goes. As I have often said when I wasn’t quite sure about how I’d done on a new poetry form, though: “It’s still a poem.”