Saturday 9 July 2011

The Naiku

Prince Shotoku (573-621) once said that wise rulers come along "only once in a thousand years", you could argue the same about revolutionary runner-poets such as myself. Currently I've been absorbing a lot of Japanese culture after my aborted visit earlier this year and this has culminated in my invention of the Naiku.

Whilst writing a poem for an eminent local walking club's newsletter the idea struck me like lighting might an overtly tall donkey - why not adapt the Haiku form into my own style. I shall repeat the poem below so as to further elaborate on my new poetic device,

Walking
It's not running
And, no, it never will be

But
When the morning's
crisp and the sun does shine

A brown ale
In hand, and the dog
Falling ahead, what could delight me more?

As you'll notice I don't follow the traditional route of using 17 音 (0n) divided into 5, 7 and 5 音 line phrases but follow a somewhat less formal, more relaxed form, better suited to Newcastle than Niigata. The most crucial change however is the crafting of each stanza into the broad shape of a running shoe, hence meaning my overarching love of running is incorporated into my work.

I'm in the process of starting a literary journal solely for this poetic form so if anyone is interested in submitting work then please do so.

Stay tuned for more wisdom from the polymath Geordie..

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