Teaching East Asia: Korea Teaching East Asia: Korea | Page 168

Important note on last line: in many classic sijo, the first three syllables are often an exclamation
or a word of strong emotional value. The phrase following that three syllable twist is normally the
longest in the poem and gives a sense that the poem is about to conclude. By the end of the third
line, the poem has come to an unsurprising ending. In sung sijo, the last phrase is often
omitted altogether.
Sijo written in English:
Discussion Question: Read the following Sejong Cultural Society contest winners’ poems.
Identify the qualities of a sijo that make each poem a winner. Stress theme, countertheme, and
return to theme.
Untitled
A single sole was lost today, deep in the river Yalu,
Thrashing, twisting, torn to shreds with color quickly fading.
On the bridge a small boy laughs, holding out his empty shoe.
Creasy Clauser (12th grade, Crawfordsville, IN)
Secret Song
You ask me what I’m humming; I tell you I’m humming about nothing.
This is untrue because I’m humming about you, all day long.
Who am to tell yo yo re nothin when yo are my son
Taylor Edward (10th grade, Euless, TX)
Cuisine?
I look through the window of the Korean barbeque place.
Ducks, chickens, creatures, big and small, hang from the gallows of the cook.
Step inside and join the culture, leave your wishes at the door.
Jacob Diamond (11th grade, Weston, FL)
Activity 1: Write a 10-minute sijo/Share it
With the syllable and phrasing chart handy, write a quick sijo. It can be about anything—for
instance, something that happened that day at school or at home. Work for the unfolding quali-
ty—phrase upon phrase with a three syllable twist in line three. The twist can be an exclamation
or a question.
Activity 2: Make a list of unlikely sijo topics
Create a student generated list on the board of topics that you would not expect to be ones asso-
ciated with sijo. They may include subjects such as neckties, pollen, bran muffins, and freezers.
The list is intended to get them away from only focusing on broad topics such as summer and
graduation.
Assignment:
Ask students to write three sijo for homework. They should be proofed, edited, and typed. In
class, they should choose one of the three to read to the class.
106
168
163