Day 206:
Jan 22- Descriptions of many poetic forms can be found at poetrymagnumopus.com, Poets.org, poetryoutloud.org, as well as Wikipedia. A number of books are also available. For example, different sites give a general description of the Jintishi poetic form. It literally means “Modern Form Poetry” because the period between the Six dynasties to the Tang Dynasty(between 200-900 A.D.)  produced the changes to the “new” style from the ancient style poetry. There are two types. 4 lined forms and 4 couplet forms. 4 lines with 5 syllables is called Wujue. 4 lines with 7 syllables is called Qijue. 4 couplets with 5 syllables is called Wulu. 4 couplets with 7 syllables is called Qilu. The Chinese used the 4 levels of the Chinese language; level, rising/ falling, departing, entering. English equivalents are the stressed/unstressed words. Each line expresses a complete sentence. Even numbered lines rhyme. One presents the big within the small, and the universal within the particular. Allusion is used, regarding anything from historical figures to political events. The third line/couplet serves to change direction or to turn the thought around. That change or turn is emphasized by a pause before the reading of the last 3 syllables in the poem. If you vary the syllable size of a Jintishi, usually done by using 6 syllable lines as well, it is called a Pailu. The following is my attempt at the smallest form, the Wujue.

 Level syllables

Five for the Wujue
Rise, fall, and depart
Enter…and you’re through.