New Poetry Form: the Sixku
A 6-word poem with a twist
When I discovered the Haiku in the 2000s, my heart skipped a beat. How could such a short poem be so compelling and inspirational at the same time?
I have studied and written hundreds of haiku since then.
Why am I in love with the form? Because it has taught me the meaning of the phrase “say less and show more” and how to become a more impactful writer. I would not be the writer I am today without the Haiku.
The Haiku also inspired me to create poetry forms. One of them is the Sixku.
The Sixku (pronounce ‘sis-ku’) is a six-word, untitled poem that must be inspired and contain an image. A reference to nature is encouraged. For example: season, weather, month, time of the day, etc.
Three mandatory lines:
- Line 1 = idea 1 (one or two word(s))
- Line 2 = idea 2 (two or three words)
- Line 3 = twist, surprise (remaining words)
A seventh word is acceptable, only if it is an article or preposition (e.g. ‘a’, ‘the’, ‘up’, ‘down’…). Do not abuse this exception, though.
Complete sentences and punctuation are optional and the use of the past tense is allowed.
