 Poetry: January 11, 2017 Issue [#8071] |
  Poetry
This week: HAIKU How To! Edited by: eyestar~*  
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 Hiya everyone! I am so thrilled to be the GUEST editor for this edition! It is my first time, so bear with me! I want to share Haiku, a controversial form, deceptively easy and yet a challenge to perfect. I love to read it and am a novice when it comes to composing. I was inspired to do some study and practice last year and so today I would like to offer some tips for beginners.
Do not follow in the footsteps of the old masters, but seek what they sought."
Basho (1644-94)
"Real haiku is the soul of poetry. Anything that is not actually present in one's heart is not haiku. The moon glows, flowers bloom, insects cry, water flows. There is no place we cannot find flowers or think of the moon. This is the essence of haiku. Go beyond the restrictions of your era, forget about purpose or meaning, separate yourself from historical limitations—there you will find the essence of true art, religion, and science.”
― Santōka Taneda, Mountain Tasting: Haiku and Journals of Santoka Taneda
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Haiku has gone through various phases of evolution in its original language and moreso since its translation into English and the changing times. Even as the controversy continues regarding various guidelines there are some elements that remain intact and define haiku as a form. I have learned there are at least 66 ways to create haiku and a number of techniques that can be used to create deeply meaningful and evocative haiku.
Evocative is the word for haiku as I learned in chatting with haijins peach and alfred booth, wanbli ska early on in my haiku education. They were the first to explain that true haiku is more than just the 5-7-5 syllables and nature description that is a popular notion. Haiku are like puzzles where the reader is to be involved in the discovery of the deeper message. It is the hardest part to explain and yet I realise that I know when I experience of the Aha revelation. It can be related to a SHOW don't TELL guideline. The best haiku evoke our knowing.
So how many of us were taught that the syllable count was a MAIN component and maybe struggled to get the words to fit the count? I know for me at times, it ruins the Haiku essence. I have seen some poets use the 5-7-5 and more who do not! Here is what I discovered--the confusion began because of the translation from Japanese, a totally different language.
The Japanese word for syllable is loosely translated as on or onji. On is a “sound unit”. Seventeen onji do not equal 17 syllables. A poem written in 17 syllables usually contains a great deal more information than a poem written in 17 onji. Nowadays as we are more aware of this discrepency and can understand the "LESS IS MORE' in the Japanese formatting, changes are occuring to make the Haiku more like the essence found in the Japanese form.
Haiku can be done in 17 syllables effectively still and the rule of thumb now is between 8 and 17. This does allow for less telling, less description and more space for revelation to occur. Regardless of this controversy, the basic elements of Haiku are still intact. These are the tips I want to share. See how many of them you use in your haiku endeavours. 
Haiku Baker's Dozen Guidelines
1. Poem is based on common everyday experiences, observed in nature/time using 5 senses without a judgement, POV or explanation. Show it and Let the reader experience it with their own understanding. Be clear and specific.
2. It has 3 lines, the second one is usually longest.
I do know they can be 1, 2, 3, or 4 lines too! Who knew? Still, I will stay at the beginning.
melt water
in the ditches
popcans
3. No complete sentences, but rather
two parts, a fragment and a Phrase containing 2 contrasting images observed in the moment.
It's like you see a bird flying and then at the same moment, you feel the breeze. What is the leap of surprise between the two. You may know it and it is for the reader to discover what you know for themselves. Like a puzzle.
What can you perceive here? What story? What experience?
old pond
a frog leaps in
the sound of water
by Basho
In this example, "old pond" would be a fragment. The phrase in is two lines. The break or separation cut is after "old pond".
4. Haiku has A kireji, a line break or cut referring to the pause in the Japanese sound bites (Onji). It represents a kind of punctuation. We may use a dash, or just the ending of a line between phrase and fragment.
an old pond-
floating upside down
a cicada's shell
by Shiki
5. It can have around 8-17 syllables ( you can use the 5-7-5 but not need to force words to fit that pattern). Essence matters. True haiku uses few basic adjectives, or long descriptives. Keep it simple and clear.
6. It may have a kijo or word that suggests the season.
eg. if you say "snow" we know it is winter so you do not need to say winter.
Contemporary haiku often do not use this given that seasons in different places vary.
7. There should be a leap--where the reader goes "'aha" I see what you see, or feel or the connection.
This one I find the most challenging and am still working on!
I know it when I see it done well as a light bulb goes off in my knowing.
8. Present tense : keep it real. Haiku is not fantasy or conceptual but based in real life and human nature.
9. No capitals. (except names} and minimum punctuation (eg no periods) The idea is that the poem floats in space boundless for us to capture its essence from different perspectives.
10. No rhyme.
11. Usually no title (as it may give away the surprise element of the poem).
I tend to use a generic title just so I know what it is about. I don't give away the surprise.
12. Focus on the moment or experience--not the feelings or ideas---- show us what is there that made you feel.
13. Have fun being present and sensing the connections in everything. That is truly the mystery of Haiku.
The haiku in English has been written for about seventy years and the form is still evolving. Whether traditional with kigo and 5-7-5 or contemporary where themes are much more varied, the basic mystery and puzzle nature of haiku continues as its definitive magic. Haiku is a form as the early haijins had it established, so I will attempt to honour their vision.
So are you ready to have fun in a little challenge exercise?
Shasei means go outside (can be inside as well) and noodle a bit. Commune with all that is.
Observe your environment. What do your senses find?
List specific things in that moment: eg. the sunrise, a blue jay, sound of wind,
Create a fragment and a phrase where each shows a different (contrasting) image.(sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)
No embellishment or interpretation. Let the reader discover the surprise that you already see.
Compose a haiku.
 A simple way to begin is to have an object in a setting and then have a fragment in the third or first line to show the contrasting image.
eg. my humble responses.
phrase: daffodils
pop up on the hill
fragment: laughter
daffoldils
pop up on the hill
laughter
pouring tea-
at my window
a woodpecker
The journey of exploration is part of the fun of Haiku and we are all in it together as all is One!
Thanks for taking this moment of the journey with me.
Sources:
Jane Reichhold's book is a fine guide to this challenging and interesting form.
"Writing and Enjoying Haiku: A Hands-on Guide"
http://www.graceguts.com/essays/haiku-checklist
http://www.inspirationalstories.com/poems/an-old-pond-masaoka-shiki-poems/
These have interesting POV.
https://thewayofhaiku.wordpress.com/the-donts-of-writing-haiku/
http://www.nahaiwrimo.com/home/why-no-5-7-5
For more than beginner's techniques:
http://www.ahapoetry.com/haiartjr.htm
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Fellow Haijins I have enjoyed reading on the path.
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Interesting mix of forms!
Contests and C-Note Shop
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Are you ready for some Haiku Hijinks?
Go find one of your early Haiku poems and run it by the checklist above.
If it doesn't quite fit, how could you improve it? Dump words, pare down your images, whatever!
I have looked at my old ones. Not so good! I get better with practise!
Send me your item link with original and redo!
If you have not tried A haiku, why wait? Give it a go.
Also I am interested in your experiences with the form and its ongoing evolution.
What do you know? What is your favourite Haiku?
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