How To Write Piaku
The term Piaku is a portmanteau of the legendary number Pi and the traditional Japanese haiku. This form was created by Mike Rollins. Piaku can be as small as 3 lines or go on for as long as you’d like. The only stipulation is that each line’s syllable count must map on to the corresponding number of Pi. The first line must be three syllables, the second line must be one syllable, and the third line must be four syllables and so forth. The poem has no set meter and has no rhyme scheme. It’s a very free form other than syllable count. Here are some example of various piaku lengths.
Example Piaku
I say old
man,
listen to that
wind.
Walking is no fun
on a night when horizontal rains
transpire.
Scurry to the back yard
hurry quick then lie
by the fire.
– Lawrencealot
This form is
Tough ~
Like a burned steak
– Corey Bryan
Rules of the Piaku
It’s a poem of at least three lines
Each line syllable count must correspond to the next digit of pi
It has no rhyme or meter requirements
It has no set length and can continue on for as long as you wish
Here are the first fifty digits of pi for reference:
3 . 1 4 1 5 9 2 6 5 3 5 8 9 7 9 3 2 3 8 4 6 2 6 4 3 3 8 3 2 7 9 5 0 2 8 8 4 1 9 7 1 6 9 3 9 9 3 7 5 1 0
Advantages of Piaku
It’s just fun. It’s a fun and goofy little form that is easy to play around with. Its unlimited length means that you will never run out of room for what you are trying to say. Composing them might even help you to memorize some digits of pi to impress your friends at parties.
Challenges of Piaku
Like many unlimited-length poems, it is difficult to know when to end a poem. Additionally, the variation of syllable count becomes difficult to work with sometimes. Writing poems with syllable counts of one is hard, especially when you have to use nine syllables just two lines after. The difficulties are worth it though. How often do you see math and poetry so nicely wrapped up into one cohesive unit?
Prompts
Prompt 1 – Losing Things
It happens to all of us. It happens to me a lot.
Example:
Lost wallet
Great
Cancel my cards
Prompt 2 – Pet Peeves
We all have them, some worse than others. Channel your annoyances into art!
Example:
I hate the
Click
That a pen makes
Prompt 3 – Driving
It’s not typically the most inspirational activity, but if you look close enough, you might be surprised by what you come up with!
Example:
Bad traffic
Sucks
Lay on the horn
Prompt 4 – Pies
Couldn’t do Pi week without making a few pie jokes. Let’s see your best pie-inspired piaku.
Example:
apple pie
is
my favorite
Prompt 5 – Little Things
Life is an amalgamation of the little things. Take a moment to appreciate some of them in a piaku.
Example:
Summer walks
with
the wind blowing
Prompt 6 – Food
It’s just what it sounds like. We eat, cook, buy, and love food every day. How could we not write a poem about it?
Example:
Lunch is just
A
Better breakfast
Prompt 7 – It’s a Looooooong Number
Try to use as many digits of Pi as you can. write about whatever you like. If you don’t want to look it up, here are the first 50.
3 . 1 4 1 5 9 2 6 5 3 5 8 9 7 9 3 2 3 8 4 6 2 6 4 3 3 8 3 2 7 9 5 0 2 8 8 4 1 9 7 1 6 9 3 9 9 3 7 5 1 0
Example:
That would be
A
Firm no from me
Cos
I didn’t like Pi
The first time around in maths at school
And have
Avoided it since then
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