EDWARD DE BONO'S MESSAGE
9th March 1997

Creative Poetry - 'Bonto'

The response to the crime problem was good and I shall indicate my personal awards (prizes) in my next message (which may be delayed slightly due to my itinery).

I sometimes wonder whether contributors have actually tried using the deliberate tools of lateral thinking or are just using their 'natural creativity' which is less novel and exciting. It is also possible to put the problem to a group session - although I suspect most net users prefer to work on their own.

There are very serious problems, like crime, and there are lighter types of creativity, like Jokes for Julia.

There are specific forms of poetry like Limericks, Haiku and the Malaysian Pantun. Each of these have a very formal structure as to number of lines, meter, syllables etc. The meaning is often also tightly prescribed - especially the Pantun.

I am proposing to invent a new formal type of poetry for use on the net.

1. Each poem is to be called a "Bonto".

2. There are four lines in each poem.

3. Rhyming is aa bb.

4. Syllables: as yet undecided (5, 6 or 7)

5. Content:

• First line: sets out some extraordinary behaviour. The more bizarre the better.
• Second line: gives the explanation for the bizarre behaviour.
• Third line: gives the result or outcome of the behaviour.
• Fourth line: provides some "philosophical" reflection on life in general but arising from the situation.

You are invited:

1. To improve and polish up the bontos given here.

2. To write your own bontos which should be submitted by 8th April for publication on this site ( your name attached)

Edward de Bono
8th March 1997
Australia