It’s Poetry Friday, today hosted by the amazing Laura Purdie Salas. Let’s see what she has in store for us this week. I hope everyone is well as we get through each new week which fly by. My thoughts are with all the teachers and students trying to get back to their important work.
Just for fun and interest I entered the 2020 Peggy Willis Lyles Haiku Contest, not that I thought I would ever win or place and did not. The winners were recently announced here, chosen from over 2,000 haiku entries. It was the eight annual contest run by The Heron’s Nest, an on-line haiku quarterly journal that welcomes submissions. In the above link, the editors shared the winning haiku and honorable mentions and described in detail why they are chosen. It’s well worth reading if you have an interest in haiku and it made me think about this popular form.
Though I write them on occasional I still know too little about haiku as an art form. I did know that classically, haiku is a three line poem originating in Japan with a 5-7-5 syllabic count, though some haiku poets veer from this. The number of syllables varies. I found the syllabic limitations useful and fun when I set out several years ago to create snapshots of historical figures, such as John Q. Addams, the first president to ever be photographed:
JOHN Q. ADDAMS An early morning skinny-dipper! A darn shame shutter bugs missed that. © Janice Scully
We could use someone interesting and innovative today, like you, JQ!
Classically, within the 17 syllable format, the haiku was often divided into two parts, that contrast in tone. An example given was this, written by Issa:
Look at the warbler- he's wiping his muddy feet all over the plum blossoms.
I think the shift in tone here is between the lovely image conjured by the warbler contrasting with his muddy feet on the plum blossoms.
Beside contrast in tone within the poem, the other classic haiku characteristic is the “kigo”, or seasonal word, which gives the reader a sense of, or course, the season. In the above haiku I see plum blossoms, a warbler, and mud . . . I guess spring.
According to Lowenstein, optimistic SPRING is often implied by “cherry blossoms and certain birds.
The bright exhausting SUMMER is implied by “flower and tree words.”
AUTUMN is “melancholy” and expressed images such as a “full moon, wind and dying leaves.”
Words like “snow” might signify a cold and difficult WINTER.
On The Heron’s Nest’s website submission page they post a list of qualities these contemporary editors look for when evaluating haiku. These do seem to take their cue from classic haiku.
- Present moment magnified (immediacy of emotion)
- Interpenetrating the source of inspiration (no space between observer and observed)
- Simple, uncomplicated images
- Common language
- Finding the extraordinary in “ordinary” things
- Implication through objective presentation, not explanation: appeal to intuition, not intellect
- Human presence is fine if presented as an archetypical, harmonious part of nature (human nature should blend in with the rest of nature rather than dominate the forefront)
- Humor is fine, if in keeping with “karumi” (lightness) – nothing overly clever, cynical, comic, or raucous
- Musical sensitivity to language (effective use of rhythm and lyricism)
- Feeling of a particular place within the cycle of seasons
So much to think about in writing such a brief poem. Haiku can feel to me to be inscrutable, though fascinating and worth the effort. Here are a few from the Japanese masters:
On a withered branch a crow has settled. Nightfall in autumn. Bashō (1644-94) Wandering through a stream in summer, carrying my sandals. How delightful! Buson (1715-83) Is that crow tilling the field or just walking around there? Issa (1762-1826) After I'm dead, tell people I was a persimmon eater who also loved haiku. Shiki (1867-1902)
I hope you liked these. Have a great day and take time off from our troubled world, perhaps, and write a few haiku. Maybe it will provide a small respite.
Thanks for sharing the abundance of haiku poems and resources today, Janice. I love this teeny form, though I’m not always successful in writing it. The online journal tinywords is accepting submissions for haiku and other tiny word poetry in case you are interested – the link is in my post today. Who knew JQ was a skinny-dipper? : )
I like that tiny words accepts not just haiku but other small forms. I do find haiku difficult and that is part of their draw, I suppose.
It is interesting to read all kinds of thoughts about haiku, Janice, & about crows, which I love. Happy Friday!
There is a lot that we and the haiku masters have uncommon. Stay well, Linda. BTW I’m taking a short Georgia Heard workshop. Last night was our first session of three. It is just like Highlights for two hours. I thought of you.
Thanks for this, Janice! I really like your haiku, too!
Janice, your haiku made me smile. Thank you for sharing it today!
Hi Linda. Did you enjoy the workshop. It was fun to meet you.
I loved them–thank you, Janice! And good for you for entering the contest! Your JQA haiku gave me a belly laugh:>)
Thank you Janice for taking we readers on a Haiku hike…
Your comprehensive overview of this ancient form of poetry was informative and inspiring. Like you, I occasionally write in this form, and I do like to fiddle with the basic structure from time to time. Love how you applied Haiku to an historical perspective with John Quincy Adams.
Great post! Love all these tips. Haiku is tricky – and yet so sigh-worthy when done well. (Is there a word for that special satisfaction that comes from reading (or writing?) the perfect haiku. There should be!) Thanks for sharing. It pairs well with Bridget’s wee-source!
oooooh! So much to savor here. Those deceptively simple, slippery haiku. I do love them for their ability to pack a punch…a light punch, a funny and natural punch….but a punch nonetheless! Wonderful background info. This post is a keeper! Did I miss you winning? Placing? Come on, tell!
Well-rendered haiku are so impressive. I agree with Kat that there should be a word for that feeling of haiku satisfaction. I appreciate the reminder about all the elements in a haiku and how they work together. What a great, informative post–a rich resource! PS I love the humor of your haiku!
Thanks for a little haiku lesson, and some fun ones from the masters. I can’t help myself. I see this:
After I’m dead, tell people
I was a persimmon eater
who also loved haiku.
And I go like this:
After I’m dead, tell people
I was a pomegranate eater
who also loved butterflies.
Perfect! What else would anyone need to know?:)
Y0ur haiku on John Q. gave me a smile! Wonderful post, I write many haiku, I don’t know if they always fit all the areas you covered, but I like writing them. I loved Shiki’s with persimmons and Mary Lee’s take– so here’s my take on it,
after I’m dead, tell people
I was a mango eater
who also loved milkweed.
I love it! Now I have to write one.
I am so glad I stopped by your haiku post today! I am catching up on Poetry Friday posts. I’ve written a lot of haiku over the last ten years and even taught third grade (above benchmark students) how to write them. I had no idea to look for a source or contest to try and publish my haiku. Like you, I would not dare to think I could “win” but it might be fun to try. So, thank you for the reference. Another commonality we have is some fascination with John Quincy Adams and John Adams. I’ve read many letters written by the latter of these two men and always found him a fascinating subject. I imagine he’s turning over in his grave today!
He definitely is! Thank you, Carol!