Poetry formats: Difference between revisions

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This is a list of poetry formats in Toki Pona. It focuses mainly on original formats that have been proposed for and used in Toki Pona, but formats from other languages that are popular in Toki Pona poetry are also listed at the bottom.

Square poems[edit | edit source]

leko nimi[edit | edit source]

The archetypal leko nimi is a short poem written in sitelen pona consisting of an equal amount of lines and words per line forming a square. The poem can then be read both horizontally (usually left-to-right) and vertically (usually top-to-bottom). How strict these rules apply to a particular poem is up to the author.

In an informal emoji reaction poll in the ma pona pi toki pona Discord server, 19 respondents knew about the format already, while 52 were new to the format, and 8 reported having made one.^[1]

The following is a list of leko nimi poems:

"soweli", "kasi lili", "pu ala", and "waso" by jan Ali (p. 12)
Untitled by kule epiku Atawan
"toki musi pi nasin tu" by jan Ke Tami (p. 12)
"tomo moku" by jan Likipi
"soweli moli" by u/Medium_Specialist622
Untitled by waso Pini lon kulupu pi wawa sewi (Archived)

Letter squares[edit | edit source]

There are 39 possible letter squares with each line and each row being exactly one word, using words from Linku (with 2022 data).^[2]

Syllable squares[edit | edit source]

There are 335 possible syllable squares with each line and each row being exactly one word, and an additional 91 squares if coda -n gets counted separately (moraically), using words from Linku (with 2022 data).^[3]

The following is a list of syllable square poems:

"kiwen lukin" by jan Kuleku Nena (p. 13)
leko nimi suli nanpa wan pi toki pona by jan Pensamin

Other original formats[edit | edit source]

Juxtapoem[edit | edit source]

A juxtapoem (Toki Pona: toki musi jasima or toki musi pi ijo ante tu) is a format invented by jan Mali. They presented it during suno pi toki pona 2021 and invited viewers to use it to write their own poems, which were read aloud on stream. The format involves describing a contrast between two different things.^[4]^[5]

(ijo #1) li ___
li ______.
mi ___ ona
la ______.

taso, (ijo #2) li lon/kama.
(ijo #2) ___.
ona li ___ (ijo #1)
la ______.

Poetry formats from other languages[edit | edit source]

Haiku[edit | edit source]

Haiku is a short poetry format originating from Japan, usually consisting of three phrases composed of 17 moras in a 5-7-5 pattern. In Western languages, it is common to count syllables instead of moras. Haiku do not normally have rhyme or meter. In Toki Pona, moraic haiku (where the coda -n is counted separately) and syllabic haiku (where coda -n is not counted) both exist.

Some examples of Toki Pona haiku:

toki Haiku kepeken toki pona by Michael F. (11 syllabic haiku, pre-pu)

References[edit | edit source]

↑ jan Ke Tami [@retsamys]. (2 September 2022). [Message posted in the #sona-kulupu channel in the ma pona pi toki pona Discord server]. Discord. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
↑ jan Ke Tami (@retsamys). squares.txt. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Discord.
↑ jan Ke Tami (@retsamys). squares.txt. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Discord.
↑ jan Mali. (1 September 2021). "A poem by any other name #1 | suno pi toki pona | toki pona day 2021". ma pona pi toki pona [@maponapitokipona]. YouTube. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
↑ jan Mali. (3 September 2021). "A poem by any other name #2 | suno pi toki pona | toki pona day 2021". ma pona pi toki pona [@maponapitokipona]. YouTube. Retrieved 3 March 2024.

[1] Ke Tami [@retsamys]. (2 September 2022). [Message posted in the #sona-kulupu channel in the ma pona pi toki pona Discord server]. Discord. Retrieved 2 October 2023.

[2] Ke Tami (@retsamys). squares.txt. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Discord.

[3] Ke Tami (@retsamys). squares.txt. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Discord.

[4] Mali. (1 September 2021). "A poem by any other name #1 | suno pi toki pona | toki pona day 2021". ma pona pi toki pona [@maponapitokipona]. YouTube. Retrieved 3 March 2024.

[5] Mali. (3 September 2021). "A poem by any other name #2 | suno pi toki pona | toki pona day 2021". ma pona pi toki pona [@maponapitokipona]. YouTube. Retrieved 3 March 2024.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-This is a list of original '''[[poetry]] formats''' which have been proposed for and used in [[Toki Pona]].
+This is a list of '''[[poetry]] formats''' in [[Toki Pona]]. It focuses mainly on ''original'' formats that have been proposed for and used in Toki Pona, but formats from other languages that are popular in Toki Pona poetry are also listed at the bottom.
 ==Square poems==
@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 The following is a list of {{tp|leko nimi}} poems:
+<!-- Sorted alphabetically by author's name, excluding headnoun(s) -->
-* [//liputenpo.org/lipu-tenpo-nanpa-mun/ "{{tp|soweli}}", "{{tp|kasi lili}}", "{{tp|pu ala}}", and "{{tp|waso}}"] by {{tok|jan Ali}} (p. 12)
+* [https://liputenpo.org/lipu-tenpo-nanpa-mun/ "{{tp|soweli}}", "{{tp|kasi lili}}", "{{tp|pu ala}}", and "{{tp|waso}}"] by {{tok|jan Ali}} (p. 12)
-* [//omekapo.gitbook.io/jan-culture/lifestyle/art#leko-nimi Untitled] by {{tok|kule epiku Atawan}}
-* [//liputenpo.org/lipu-tenpo-nanpa-nimi/ "{{tp|toki musi pi nasin tu}}"] by {{tok|jan Ke Tami}} (p. 12)
+* [https://omekapo.gitbook.io/jan-culture/lifestyle/art#leko-nimi Untitled] by {{tok|kule epiku Atawan}}
-* [//omekapo.gitbook.io/jan-culture/lifestyle/art#leko-nimi "{{tp|tomo moku}}"] by {{tok|jan Likipi}}
+* [https://liputenpo.org/lipu-tenpo-nanpa-nimi/ "{{tp|toki musi pi nasin tu}}"] by {{tok|jan Ke Tami}} (p. 12)
+* [https://omekapo.gitbook.io/jan-culture/lifestyle/art#leko-nimi "{{tp|tomo moku}}"] by {{tok|jan Likipi}}
-* [//cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/944692073448230943/76C9F681-8C63-40D4-A9A9-EDA171B9D7EC.jpg Untitled] by {{tok|waso Pini lon kulupu pi wawa sewi}} ([//web.archive.org/web/20231002201351/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/944692073448230943/76C9F681-8C63-40D4-A9A9-EDA171B9D7EC.jpg Archived])
+* [https://reddit.com/r/tokipona/comments/1b3rz61/leko_nimi_pi_soweli_moli/ "{{tp|soweli moli}}"] by u/Medium_Specialist622
+* [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/944692073448230943/76C9F681-8C63-40D4-A9A9-EDA171B9D7EC.jpg Untitled] by {{tok|waso Pini lon kulupu pi wawa sewi}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20231002201351/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/944692073448230943/76C9F681-8C63-40D4-A9A9-EDA171B9D7EC.jpg Archived])
 ===Letter squares===
-There are 39 possible letter squares with each line and each row being exactly one word, using words from [[Linku]] (with 2022 data).<ref>{{tok|jan Ke Tami}} (@retsamys). [//cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/1027731901663936512/squares.txt <code>squares.txt</code>]. [//web.archive.org/web/20231002201254/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/1027731901663936512/squares.txt Archived] from the original on 2 October 2023. ''Discord''.</ref>
+There are 39 possible letter squares with each line and each row being exactly one word, using words from [[Linku]] (with 2022 data).<ref>{{tok|jan Ke Tami}} (@retsamys). [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/1027731901663936512/squares.txt <code>squares.txt</code>]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20231002201254/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/1027731901663936512/squares.txt Archived] from the original on 2 October 2023. ''Discord''.</ref>
 ===Syllable squares===
-There are 335 possible syllable squares with each line and each row being exactly one word, and an additional 91 squares if coda ''-n'' gets counted separately (moraically), using words from [[Linku]] (with 2022 data).<ref>{{tok|jan Ke Tami}} (@retsamys). [//cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/1027740805860966451/squares.txt <code>squares.txt</code>]. [//web.archive.org/web/20231002201209/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/1027740805860966451/squares.txt Archived] from the original on 2 October 2023. ''Discord''.</ref>
+There are 335 possible syllable squares with each line and each row being exactly one word, and an additional 91 squares if coda ''-n'' gets counted separately (moraically), using words from [[Linku]] (with 2022 data).<ref>{{tok|jan Ke Tami}} (@retsamys). [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/1027740805860966451/squares.txt <code>squares.txt</code>]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20231002201209/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/340307145373253642/1027740805860966451/squares.txt Archived] from the original on 2 October 2023. ''Discord''.</ref>
 The following is a list of syllable square poems:
-* [//liputenpo.org/lipu-tenpo-nanpa-seli/ "{{tp|kiwen lukin}}" by {{tok|jan Kuleku Nena}}] (p. 13)
+* [https://liputenpo.org/lipu-tenpo-nanpa-seli/ "{{tp|kiwen lukin}}" by {{tok|jan Kuleku Nena}}] (p. 13)
-* A rectangular variation: [//toki.social/@metanomial/107699634841316800 {{tok|leko nimi suli nanpa wan pi toki pona}} by {{tok|jan Pensamin}}]
+* [https://toki.social/@metanomial/107699634841316800 {{tok|leko nimi suli nanpa wan pi toki pona}}] by {{tok|jan Pensamin}}
+==Other original formats==
+===Juxtapoem===
+A juxtapoem (Toki Pona: {{tp|toki musi jasima}} or {{tp|toki musi pi ijo ante tu}}) is a format invented by {{tok|jan Mali}}. They presented it during {{tp|[[suno pi toki pona]]}} 2021 and invited viewers to use it to write their own poems, which were read aloud on stream. The format involves describing a contrast between two different things.<ref>{{cite YouTube|id=KXbXmUBzlKc|title=A poem by any other name #1 {{!}} {{tok|suno pi toki pona}} {{!}} toki pona day 2021|author={{tok|jan Mali}}|channel={{tp|ma pona pi toki pona}}|handle={{tok|maponapitokipona}}|date=2021-09-01|access-date=2024-03-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite YouTube|id=5mh2MYJTyX0|title=A poem by any other name #2 {{!}} {{tok|suno pi toki pona}} {{!}} toki pona day 2021|author={{tok|jan Mali}}|channel={{tp|ma pona pi toki pona}}|handle={{tok|maponapitokipona}}|date=2021-09-03|access-date=2024-03-03}}</ref>
+<pre>(ijo #1) li ___
+li ______.
+mi ___ ona
+la ______.
+taso, (ijo #2) li lon/kama.
+(ijo #2) ___.
+ona li ___ (ijo #1)
+la ______.</pre>
+==Poetry formats from other languages==
+===''Haiku''===
+{{w|Haiku}} is a short poetry format originating from Japan, usually consisting of three phrases composed of 17 [[mora]]s in a 5-7-5 pattern. In Western languages, it is common to count syllables instead of moras. Haiku do not normally have {{w|rhyme}} or {{w|Metre (poetry)|meter}}. In Toki Pona, moraic haiku (where the coda {{tp|-n}} is counted separately) and syllabic haiku (where coda {{tp|-n}} is not counted) both exist.
+Some examples of Toki Pona haiku:
+* [[oldwikisource:toki Haiku kepeken toki pona|toki Haiku kepeken toki pona]] by Michael F. (11 syllabic haiku, [[pre-pu]])
+==See also==
+* ''[[User:jan Pensa/haiku guide|A guide for haiku writing in Toki Pona]]'' by [[jan Pensa]], about incorporating features of Japanese style haiku in Toki Pona
 ==References==

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