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Sunday Scribblings #40: Looking Forward

July 19, 2020

Well, school is not reopening for us in the fall (at least not in person). But we are looking forward to a whole new school year.

As of now, we are waiting to hear more about the details. And based on what we know, while schools and teachers as well as the students themselves were unprepared the first time around (before school closed for the summer holidays in early June), here is hoping that everyone is better prepared and learning happens.

As for us, my son is going to be in senior year of high school, which means we are going to start the whole process of college applications. But there are a lot of unknowns this time around, and we are learning as we go along.

So here is to a whole new different school year; and hoping for the best for everyone.

sunday scribblings

Poetic Sundays

The Forms so Far

The Sijo

I travel to Korea today to bring you the sijo.

What is the Sijo?

A short poetic form with origins in fourteenth-century Korea, the sijo (pronounced SHEE-jo) is both lyrical and phrasal, owing to the fact that it is actually meant to be sung (written originally as short songs). The sijo explores themes ranging from the profound and metaphysical to the humorous and personal.

The three lines are organized both technically and thematically, as explained in the next section.

The sijo’s characteristics:
  • syllabic: 3 lines in length, averaging 14-16 syllables per line (for a poem total of 44-46 syllables); with each line written as a four syllable group, each of which is clearly separate, yet fits seamlessly with the others to flow as a single line, and then into the poem.
  • syllable pattern by line: Lines 1 and 2: 3-4-4-4; Line 3: 3-5-4-3; preferably with a pause or break in the middle of each line
  • notes on syllables/lines: In English, the poet can choose to write the sijo in six lines, with each line containing two syllable groupings instead of four. Also, the poet can take some license with the number of syllables in each grouping (for eg: 2-5-2-5, or other), as long as the total number of syllables per line is maintained correctly. Recommendation for the final line is that the first grouping is 3 syllables.
  • thematic: the poem itself follows a certain preset theme and each line serves a purpose towards that
  • theme pattern by line: Line 1 introduces the theme/situation of the poem; Line 2 elaborates on and develops the theme; and Line 3 presents a “twist” or a counter-theme in the first section, followed by a conclusion in the second section. The twist can be in meaning, sound, or other device.
So the basic structure of the sijo:

Line 1: 3-4-4-4 (or 2-6-4-4 or 2-5-2-5 or…) for a total of 14-16 syllables: the theme/situation of the poem
Line 2: 3-4-4-4 (or 2-4-4-6 or 2-5-2-5 or…) for a total of 14-16 syllables: elaboration/development/details of the theme
Line 3: 3-5, 4-3 (or 2-5, 5-3 or 3-5, 4-3 or..) for a total of 14-16 syllables: counter-theme/twist to the theme; conclusion to the poem

h/t and further reading:

My Example

Here is my first attempt:

Pun Power
Laughter spills all over us, like autumn leaves on windy days. (3-4, 4-4 == 14)
Our smiles grow and grow into grins, in delight and in glee. (5-3, 3-3 == 14)
There was gloom everywhere, humor changed it all instantly. (3-3, 5-3 == 14)
-Vidya Tiru (@LadyinReadWrites)

Last Week On My Blog and Home-front

Blogging everyday (still).. and my son and I watched a really wonderful movie – Just Mercy. I hope to read the true story this movie is based upon. It is currently free on youtube so go ahead and view it if you can.

And while our vegetable garden this year is not flourishing as we had hoped, we have a few grapes (not as much as the last year, but….) and the roses continue to bloom for our pleasure.

And the baking and cooking continues.. Here is one pic of the totally delicious (as droolworthy as it looks) cake my 14 yo baked and decorated and surprised us with the end results – both in looks and taste

Looking Forward Cake

My Most Recent Posts

My posts from last week:

Elsewhere

Again, I forgot to bookmark articles this week but these are the ones I recalled first

MyPhotoADay

My bookstagram attempts
one
View this post on Instagram

Book Review: Fasting, Feasting by Anita Desai ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 From the book description: A wonderful novel in two parts, moving from the heart of a close-knit Indian household, with its restrictions and prejudices, its noisy warmth and sensual appreciation of food, to the cool centre of an American family, with its freedom and strangely self-denying attitudes to eating. . From my review: I enjoyed the wonderful play of words and the way everyday characters and happenings are brought to life here but the book left me oddly dissatisfied too, waiting for some sort of closure for the main characters at least Read my complete review at https://bit.ly/3h7ngIu . QOTD: What’s do you feast on (snack on) while reading? My answer: I most often end up fasting when I get lost in a book 🙂 but if I remember, I love a cup of tea with Parle G biscuits on the side! . . . #ladyinreadwrites #anitadesai #fastingfeasting #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #indianliterature #familystructures #bookstagram #bookreview #readingisfundamental #readingisfun #readersofig #bookworm #bookish #bookreviewer #booknerd #bibliophile #bookaddict #bookishthoughts #readinglife #adultfiction #questionoftheday #southasianwriters #indianwriters

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and then another
View this post on Instagram

Book List: Ten Books That Make You Smile.. . Picking ten books for any theme/topic is tough for any book lover.. And that was the same for me as I tried to pick ten books that make you smile. I know there are many many more books I have read that have made me smile, made my heart go mush (happily, of course), and left me feeling positive for a while after I finished reading them. But, ask me the question and I am simply unable to remember the titles, though I seem to remember those smiles and mushy-heart moments…And then again, reading makes me happy too!! . QOTD: What are the books that made/make you smile? . My answer: The books pictured here (and many many more).. Check out my blog for all the details : https://bit.ly/3eCno0O . . . #bookstagram #toptenbooks #bookstack #igreads #readersofinstagram #ilovebooks #bookworm #ladyinreadwrites #toptenbooks #toptentuesday #bookish #bookishlist

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And the others

Upcoming

On My Blog and Home-front

More posts of course, book reviews and lists, and that other type of post I have been meaning to write!!! And keeping in mind the upcoming celebrations, I do want to try making the penuche fudge (did not know the name though I am sure I have eaten it)

This Week’s Celebrations

Here are a few celebrations I think I will enjoy celebrating (in addition to reading Hemingway’s stories the 21st through the 26th)

  •  “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”… and since it is almost the 20th of July, you will most likely land on the moon!! It is after all National Moon Day..
  • And while you are there, enjoy a sweet treat in the form of a lollipop for it is also National Lollipop Day on the 20th
  • Be Someone Day on July 21
  • Penuche Fudge Day on July 22
  • Vanilla Ice Cream Day on July 23
  • National Amelia Earhart Day on July 24
  • National Hot Fudge Sunday on July 25

Wrapping up my Sunday Scribblings

So dear reader, this was it for my Sunday Scribblings. I would love to hear your comments on my post(s), poems, poetic Sunday section, and anything else. And which of these days do you plan to celebrate (or any other)? 

Linking this to the Sunday Post over at the Caffeinated Reviewer and the Sunday Salon.

Linking up to the Ultimate Blog Challenge 

For previous posts, click on the links below:

Day_1 Day_2 Day_3 Day_4 Day_5 Day_6 Day_7 Day_8 Day_9 Day_10 Day_11 Day_12 Day_13 Day_14 Day_15 Day_16 Day_17 Day_18

ultimate blog challenge

11 thoughts on “Sunday Scribblings #40: Looking Forward”

  1. How exciting for your son to be a senior. What fun you will have with college apps! I love grapes and yours look delicious. I freeze grapes and add to my water bottle. Your daughter’s cake looks so yummy!

  2. What a crazy time to be a high school senior and to be working on college applications. I am sending good thoughts your way for an exceptional school year. I hope that online school goes beautifully this year.

    A sijo is a new-to-me poetic form. I like it, as reminds me (a bit) of haiku, but it’s longer and more thoughtful and expressive than a haiku.

    Beautiful cake.

    Just requested Fortunately, the Milk from the library. I completely missed that book on your list.

    Please have a good week and take care.

  3. My daughter is mid way through her last year of highschool (our school year runs Jan to Dec) and the virus has caused some havoc but she is proving resilient. We will be submitting her University course choices in the next few weeks. I wish your son good luck in his senior year.

    Wishing you a great reading week

  5. Despite all the unknowns, I offer an early congratulations to your son! It sucks that this won’t be a normal senior year for him, but it is so exciting to prepare for the future.

    Also, those grapes look yummy!

  6. I really enjoyed and your post and your sijo poetry. It’s interesting. I will show that to my husband, I think he will enjoy. He used to do poetry long time ago. Thanks for sharing.
    Btw, loved the grapes.

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