Instructions

1

Write the initial phase. The first line shows the topic of the poem. For example, a first line might say "Three sons of a cotton seller live in Bejing."
2

Write the continuation of that phrase. The second line expands on the first line, which means it give a little more detail. For example, a second line could say, "The elder son is 7, the middle son is 5, the youngest son is 3."
3

Start a new subject. The third line of traditional Koan poetry leads the reader away from the subject of the first two lines into a completely unrelated topic. For a third line, you might write, "A tree grows quietly in the woods."
4

Relate the lines. The fourth line unites the themes of the first three lines. Think of it as a circle that comes back. In this case, you would relate the tree growing in the woods to the three sons of the cotton seller. For example, you could say, "But, these three boys are never quiet."