Kouta Poetry Form

Traditionally, this Japanese form was a song of the geisha. The name kouta means “little song.”

There are two accepted variations of the Kouta. Version one is a quatrain (four lines) with a syllable count of 7-5-7-5, and version two, also a quatrain, has a syllable count of 7-7-7-5.

Schematic:

Variation One
x x x x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x x x x
x x x x

Variation Two
x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x
x x x x x

As with most Japanese poetry, it has no rhyme scheme or meter, nor does it require a seasonal reference. Though associated with geishas and love songs, the Kouta does not need to be romantic. It commonly celebrates the ordinary life, referencing mundane or personal, everyday topics.

Although it is a stand alone poem, it can also appear with other Kouta with the same theme. But each individual verse should be independent – it should not just pick up where the previous verse left off, expanding on the verse before it.

For my examples I did the first and last one in the first variation, and the second one in the second variation. As you’ll see, you can read them in whatever order you like.


Snow has begun to recede
the wind blowing warm
with a breath filling us with
anticipation.


Breathing in sun laden air
my thoughts turning towards spring
I watch melting snow sink back
into thirsty ground


The snow is melting away
leaving mud patches
behind – such a beautiful
sign of pending spring.