Nuts and Bolts: sijo.

Sijo is a type of Korean poem, first written in the fourteenth century at a time when Confucian philosophy was beginning to emerge against the background of Buddhism.

The verse form is short, just three lines (though the lines themselves aren't particularly short, each usually having fourteen to sixteen syllables).

The first line will establish a theme or setting, which will be elaborated in the second line. The third line will first present a twist on the theme, and then bring the verse to its completion.

The mood is quiet, lyrical, and perhaps wistful. Sijo is a rather quiet thing: not the place for cleverness or jokes.

Here's an example:

Mind, I have a question for you - How is it you stay so young?
As the years pile up on my body, you too should grow old.
Oh, if I followed your lead, Mind, I would be run out of town.

The verse is sometimes performed sung to an instrumental accompaniment, when it is called sijo chang. The song doesn't last very long, for obvious reasons, but it's longer than might be thought because the words are hugely elongated. It's a skillful business, that kind of singing, especially as the accompaniment might consist only of an occasional drum beat.

Here's an example of sijo chang:

Isn't it extraordinary? Like entering a different world.

Nuts and Bolts: sijo. This word is a European approximation of the original Korean.