Ukulele Poem

Strumming my ukulele,
I hum your song to the summer moon.

Once in the evening's heart,
We plunked it together on a piano.

Now, each note I pluck
drifts away on a random breeze.

This poem is called a sijo. It's a Korean form: three lines between 14 and 17 syllables apiece, something about nature, plus elements of a narrative. Sometimes English Sijo change each line into a couplet so it won't run off the page. I wrote it after seeing some ukulele haiku at Howlin' Hobbit's site.

I have been playing the ukulele for about two years now. I like to sing, but used to have to depend on someone else for my accompaniment. The uke has freed me to accompany myself.

My current playlist: Brother Can You Spare a Dime, I Wanna Be Like You (from the Jungle Book), Daydream (Lovin' Spoonful), Fisherman's Blues, Bears (Steve Fromholz), Times Like These (Foo Fighters), Someone Like You, Come on up to the House (Tom Waits). I am working on Wild Honey (U2), Train Song (Tom Waits).

I am lately exploring the beauty of the barred chord.