WHAT IS HAIKU ANYWAY ? ? ?

Forum for your haiku, senryu, tanka, sijo and other short subjects of a general nature of 40 words or less.

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WHAT IS HAIKU ANYWAY ? ? ?

Post by moonflower » Mon Jan 05, 2004 1:25 am

Welcome To The Haiku Information Page!

This page is being created with the hope that it will be a helpful, fun and informative place to visit for those of us(like me!)who are interested in learning about, writing, and reading about types of poetry forms that orginated from an oriental nature ..there are various informative topics here..also some history, some tips and how-to's for beginning haikuists..also some useful (or not!) tidbits of trivia, and random interesting facts in general..and quotes from some of the old masters..also included on this page will be a very small japanese glossary for those who wish to know the japanese definition of some of the poetry terms..plus a 'season words' list.. i hope you will bear with me while i 'get it all together'..(it will take a little while)..i want to thank heinzs for giving me the green light on this project..and for his invaluable research!..he had already done all the hard work!..so i thank you again heinzs..

i hope you enjoy browsing here..this page will be rather long when completed..i will be in and out for a while, getting everything organized and put together ..well..here goes!...
*****
WHAT EXACTLY IS HAIKU..TANKA..RENGA..SENRYU?

Heinzs has already posted the following information in answer to that question..his post is an excellent, accurate description of what haiku, tanka, renga and senryu are..i have taken the liberty of reposting his informative explanation here as follows:



The Forms you have requested information on all originate as the Japanese "Tanka", which is a poem which may be composed by two people, with defined character line lengths of 5-7-5-7-7 onji. In English it is usual to transliterate "onji" into syllables, but it is not universally correct since some onji represent more than one syllable and others are silent.

The first part of the Tanka (5-7-5) was called the "Hokku". Authors used to collect quantities of these in preparation for creating the last segment either as part of a stand-alone Tanka or a "Renga", which is a long poem composed of Tanka "stanzas" which did not necessarily follow on a theme or pattern. Most Renga are composed by multiple authors and might have been a form of "challenge" or competition. The Hokku became what we now consider "Haiku".

Traditionally the Haiku contains a sense of "season" and is about nature. A similar piece that reflects on human foibles or non-natural or humorous topics became the "Senryu" to differentiate it from the Haiku.

Haiku do not generally have titles but are simply "Haiku" (which is also the plural form of the word). In Western tradition it is usual to give some form of title in order to distinguish one from another.

Examples:

Tanka:

Heavenly poem
At one with Earth's harmonies
I feel the rhythm
Kaleidoscopic visions
Unfold at each syllable

Haiku:

In chilly winter,
Cones of white frost are forming,
Ending autumn's reign.

In seasons of red
Fallen leaves are swept afar
To give way for snow.

Senryu:

Through the dark, I searched.
With fingers stretching, I reached.
Touching smoke, I wept.

White blank sheet staring
Angry bees, whirling, thoughts dart
Release is so good.

And you're going to have to imagine a Renga (or create a challenge for one) *grin*

***
update..am adding guidelines for cinquain (pronounced sin-kane)here..several info sites i went to described cinquain as a type or form of English Haiku originated by a lady named Adelaide Crapsey in the early 1900's, so thought it might be appropiate to post about it for those who(like me!)dont know what it is..(ive tried a couple and they're almost as fun as haiku!) anyways heres what i found about it..

It seems there are two basic ways to write a cinquain..traditional and modern..both forms consist of 5 usually unrhymed lines..in traditional cinquain syllable counts are the usual rule of thumb..while modern cinquain goes by word count..
*
TRADITIONAL CINQUAIN

Consists of 22 syllables, usually unrhymed, broken into 5 lines of 2,4,6,8,2 syllables respectively..thusly..

1st line..2 syllables.. subject
2nd line..4 syllables.. descriptives
3rd line 6 syllables.. expressing action
4th line..8 syllables..expressing feelings relative to subject
5th line..2 syllables..synonym, or words summing it all up

here is an example of a traditional cinquain..its written by John Hewitt..

Tuscon Rain

The smell
Everyone moves
To the window to look
Work stops and people start talking
Rain came

another example..

ice-cream
smooth cold creamy
melting dripping pleasing
favorite icy confection
frozen

***

MODERN CINQUAIN

and here are the guidelines for Modern Cinquain..
they too consist of 5 lines, usually unrhymed,but there are no syllable requirements..modern cinquain goes by word count instead of syllable count..thusly:

1st line..one word to name the subject..noun
2nd line..two words, adjectives to describe 1st line
3rd line..three words,action verbs relating to 1st line
4th line..four or five word phrase,describing subject, or feelings relative to subject
5th line..one word that means same thing,synonym, as subject or one word to sum it up

here is an example of a modern cinquain:

flowers
pretty perfumed
waving growing swaying
cherished gift to moms
love
*
the cinquain is very similiar to diamante..diamante has 7 lines instead of 5..the words chosen and the resulting form or shape they take on the paper is important to the writing of both..diamante usually takes on a diamond shape..cinquain shapes vary..(The word diamante is itialian for diamond)..its fun to choose different words and see how it alters and changes the shape of the poem on paper..

well thats about all i know for now..

update..i am adding guidelines and info about a type of poetry called sijo..

SIJO

Sijo is even more ancient than haiku!..it shares its ancestry with haiku, tanka and other similiar Japanese genre. All evolved from even more ancient Chinese patterns.

Traditional sijo is composed of 3 lines, with each line containing 14-16 syllables, totalling 44-46 syllables. There are usually pause breaks in the middle of each line. Each half-line contains 6-9 syllables, and the very last half-line is sometimes shorter, containing no fewer than 5 syllables however.

the usual pattern for sijo is:

line 1....introduces a situation or problem
line 2....development of the situation or problem or 'turn'
line 3....resolution

here is an example:

The Spring breeze melted snow on the hills then quickly disappeared
I wish I could borrow it briefly to blow over my hair
And melt away the aging frost forming now about my ears.

The first half of the final line usually employs a 'twist' or surprise. The sijo is more lyrical, subjective, and personal than haiku, and the final line can take a witty, profound or humorous turn. Sijo, like haiku, has a strong basis in nature, but, unlike haiku, it frequently employs the use of metaphors, symbols, puns, allusions, and similiar word play. Sijo was originally intended to be sung or chanted.

MODERN SIJO

modern sijo is sometimes written in 6 lines, with the lines being divided by the pause breaks,(marked by the slashes)..here is an example..

Under our oak the grass withers,/
so we plant petunias;/
We water them, we coddle them,/
burn their youth with chemicals./
Digesting their timely death,/
the oak renews our summer shade./

another example of modern sijo is as follows... In this example the lines, already divided, are divided again, into quarters with 3-5 syllables in each quarter(indicated by the slashes)...

Without the pines/the wind is silent;
without wind/the pines are still;
Without you/my heart is voiceless,
without that voice/my heart is dead.
What potent power/of yang and yin
pairs us/before we sleep?

Sijo may be highly repetitive with phrases being repeated or echoed..this trait reveals the sijo's heritage to be sung, or chanted. Meter is not vital, but the musical link should not be overlooked.

Its generally agreed that there are 3 characteristics that make sijo unique..these are:

basic structure
musical/rhythmic elements
the twist

here is one final example:

Let me ask you, butterfly, do you remember your cocoon?
Perhaps you recall spinning thread, a caterpillar's ungainly crawl?
If we can jog your memory, maybe there is hope for me.

well thats all i know about sijos for now..a special thanks to Tom Watson and Heinzs for the links that provided all this information about sijo's..so thanks tom and heinzs!.. :lol:
--------------
update..am adding info about a form of haiku called miku..

MIKU..(pronounced Mee-ku) Miku has been called the irritating 'little brother' of haiku because its form was derived from the older traditional japanese haiku..(i personally dont find it irritating at all..its very challenging to say the least!) ..Miku is a very shortened form of haiku..usually 3 lines but there are no syllable requirements..in fact, when writing Miku, the goal is to achieve the spirit of a haiku, using the fewest and simplest words..some mikus are only a few words long!..here are some examples..

clatter fades
quiet
afternoon air
****
echo
pause
empty
***
bullet hole
cherry blossom
second thought
***

Miku follows most of the traditional rules of regular haiku..except for the syllable requirements..there are usually no punctuations or capitals and no titles..no rhyming is required..however, here in our western world, titles and rhyming are acceptable..

well thats all i know about Miku for now..hope its helpful to someone..
-----------------------------------------------
have found an interesting and useful article about tanka so im posting an update here with the info.. ..

The tanka form has been the most popular poetic form and the basic unit of poetry in Japan for more than 1,300 years. Tanka means short poem. Tanka often contain metaphor and use personification and other poetic devices. Tanka predominated in Japan during the 9th to the 14th centuries. In the English language, the tanka form consists of 31 syllables distributed in five lines: 5-7-5-7-7. You will obviously note that the first three lines correspond to the haiku form, this is not accidental. To distinguish this time of development when tanka was written by two people, we now call the poem the tan renga -- which loosely means 'short linked poem'. It was a challenge for poets, and basically became the pastime of early women writers of the Emperor's Court. The tanka form was also popular among lovers in the courts. After a romantic evening, a haiku was written by the female with a tanka response written by the male. In this manner the lovers could exchange notes without the knowledge of the servants. The tanka was also used by the courts as a means of secretly conveying messages pertaining to businesses and the military.

When poets began to use the form as a competitive exercise one person would write the first part of the linked poem (which was in the form of a riddle) and then send it to another person who would write the capping lines. This was a serious pastime in the Emperor's Court and if a poetic reply was not returned it was considered rude. It was also preferable to refuse to answer rather than provide a poorly composed reply.

(A tanka by the author)

summer quickly leaves
autumn’s scent enters the side door
spring too, is far away
how many sun burned leaves fall
before long winter bites hard?

A poem longer than the five lines of a tanka with additional and alternating lines of five and seven syllables always ending with a pair of seven syllable lines is called a choka. There are other Japanese poetic forms in addition to the haiku, senyru and the tanka.

The linked verse began to expand to include 100, 500, or 1,000 verses of alternate symbol patterns. These long poems were called haikai-no-renga. Haikai means 'playful' or 'comic'. It was by the 10th Century that the fashion changed and the break in the tanka 5-7-5 (break) 7-7 symbol sounds. The first verse or starting verse of the haikai-no-renga then became a poem in three parts of 5-7-5 symbol sounds. This verse is called the hokku.

A 7th century form was developed that was called sedoka and was used in a question-and-answer format to reveal riddles. The sedoka is considered the forerunner of the renga, which developed as a form of collaborative tanka writing. One person would write the first three lines (5-7-5), and the second poet would answer with two lines (7-7). Sedoka is considered the lyric version of haiku and tanka and is known as a song writing form.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

update..i am adding some info here about a new form i just learned about..its called Haiga..the word basically means 'painting with haiku'.. the form stems from the ancient forms of calligraphy and line and brush drawings..usually the picture is displayed either beside or above the actual haiku..i found this additional info on the internet..

"Haiga are abbreviated paintings inspired by haiku (poems composed in three lines of 5-7-5 syllables). The term haiga literally means "haiku painting": "hai" comes from haiku and "ga" is the word for painting. Haiku poetry was firmly established in the 17th century when its first great master, Matsuo Basho, made it his goal to elevate the form to a highly artistic, inventive genre. Haiku and haiga emphasize directness of expression and unpretentious observations of everyday things.

In a haiga the poem does not simply explain the painting nor does the painting illustrate the poem. Instead each adds layers of meaning to the other. Works by some of the earliest haiga masters in this exhibition-Yosa Buson, Matsumura Goshun, Inoue Shiro, and Kobayashi Issa-show how a few strokes of the brush were all that is needed to convey the suggestion of the subject, the season, or the emotions they arouse. "

they are a fun form to try!..

~~~~~~~~

update..i recently discovered a form of poetry called 'shadorma'..it is not of Haiku or oriental origins, but it is a short form and so ive included it here since this forum is also the home of the shorter versions of poetry..it is a form that has either Spainish or Indian origins..(there is some controversy, but most believe that it is of Spanish origin)..the form itself consists of 6 lines with very specific syllable counts for each line..the syllable pattern is 3,5,3,3,7,5..so it would be written thusly..

1st line..3 syllables
2nd line.. 5 syllables
3rd line..3 syllables
4th line..3 syllables
5th line..7 syllables
6th line..5 syllables

its usually an unrhymed poem, but its the poets choice whether to rhyme it or not..
another fun one to try! :grin:

~~~~~~~~~

update..ive recently come across a new word that i think means almost the same as 'Haiku'..its 'Haikai'..this is what i found on the internet in the way of a definition of Haikai..

"HAIKAI

Definition: "Haikai" is short for haikai no renga, the popular style of Japanese linked verse originating in the sixteenth century, as opposed to the earlier aristocratic renga. In both Japanese and English, the word haikai can also refer to all haiku-related literature (haiku, renku, senryu, haibun, the diaries and travel writings of haiku poets).

Notes: In the first half of the twentieth century the word "haikai" was used in French and Spanish for what is now usually called "haiku" worldwide."

so they do seem very much alike..and with the same origins..its such a fun and challenging form!..my very favorite! :grin:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HELPFUL (or not!) HINTS, INFO AND HOW-TO'S


It seems that there are some differences in Japanese haiku and English haiku..one reason for this appears to be the language and translation differences..Japanese 'sound symbols' are referred to as 'onji'..they are not syllables as we, here in the western world know them, and they are much shorter than our English syllables. .17 japanese onji fit comfortably in a single vertical line of japanese writing and can easily be said or read in one breath. Another problem with syllables is that they differ so much from language to language here in the western countries..for example, the word house in english has only one syllable, but the same word in spanish, casa, has two syllables..
There is much debate about whether the 17 syllable count should be strictly adherered to or not..the debate will probably go on and on..for the beginning writer of haiku i personally feel that the traditional 'rules' of 3 lines of 17, 5-7-5 syllables are easiest to follow..in review, the general guidelines for haiku are the same as stated in heinzs post:

17 syllables
3 lines..5-7-5
doesnt usually have a title..(but here in the western world its customary to title them)
doesnt usually rhyme..(but it can occasionally..its the authors choice..i personally always try to rhyme my haiku because i just like how it sounds..but thats just me..)
doesnt usually have punctuation or capitals but these may be used if desired
should have reference to nature
should have a 'season word'
should have a cutting or division between the setting and the body...this cutting is called 'kireji' in japanese..it indicates a pause, or the end of a clause. There is no English translation of the word but it is indicated in the English language by punctuations..such as : or ... or -- or ; or , or ! or by proper line breaks. Usually these pauses occur at the end of the first or second line.

When writing haiku one should write in the 'present moment' and one should contemplate nature, use present tense verbs, and choose each word very carefully..Haiku is about the essence of the moment stated simply, and is usually always nature oriented...its about re-creating a single moments into words..

I would like to post a 'pattern' here (i found this on the internet) for writing haiku..it has helped me and it seems to be a good general rule of thumb to follow, so thought it might be helpful to others..

1st line-5 syllables-WHEN?-short line
2nd line-7 syllables-WHERE?-longer line
3rd line-5 syllables-WHAT?-short line

hope it helps someone..

update..found another 'pattern' for writing haiku..seems to be a good one..here it is:

1st line...setting..5 syllables
2nd line...action or subject..7 syllables
3rd line...action or subject..5 syllables


******

FAVORITE QUOTES

....i love this one, about feeling close to nature, by Basho:
"to write about the pine tree, become one with the pine tree"
*
....and this one, about English haiku, by a more modern author, H.G. Henderson:
"There is as yet no complete unanimity among American poets (or editors!) as to what constitutes a haiku in English..how it differs from other poems which may be equally short. In other words, haiku in English are still in thier infancy."




TRIVIA TIDBITS!

Did you know that there is a one-word haiku that is legitimatly recognized as a successful haiku? It was written by Cor van den Heuval..here is his one word haiku:

tundra

------------

Did you know that Matsuo Basho, who is regarded as the most famous haiku writer in the history of the world, had many names? When he was a child he was called 'Kinsaku'..as a young man he was called 'Sobo'..in midlife he adopted the name 'Basho', and in his later years he was called 'Matsuo Munefusa'..

update..i found yet another name!..apparently he also went by the name of Matsuo Yozaemon..

another update..i found another name he used!..'tosei'..that makes 6 names!..

------------

Did you know that in Japan, instead of the computers using the unhelpful Microsoft error messages, they send haiku?!..yep..each computer message is 17 syllables of 5-7-5...they are sooo cute!..they made me smile!..here are some of them..

Chaos reigns within
Reflect, repent, and reboot
Order shall return
*
The web you seek
cannot be located but
Countless more exist
*
A crash reduces
your expensive computer
to a simple stone
*
(these next two are my favorites)

Yesterday it worked
Today it is not working
Windows is like that
*
Windows NT crashed
I am the blue screen of death
No one hears your screams
*

Did you know that there are 1000 link rengas in existance? They are called senku..In the 1980's a german man, Heinzs Kurz, was the conductor of one..

Did you know that in Japan the word Tokyo is pronounced toe-oh-kee-oh


well thats all the trivial..er trivia that is..tidbits i can think of for now..

Did you know!..that the Japanese language contains 4 complete alphabets.and they actively use all of them interchangably?!

update..

Did you know that the japanese language contains no articles(a,an,the)!?

Did you know that it takes twice as long to say the same thing in Japanese as it does in English?

if you would like to see your name in Japanese and learn how its pronounced CLICK HERE
******


JAPANESE GLOSSARY

Many of the words we use today to describe the characteristics and forms of oriental poetry come to us from the japanese language (which is a fascinating subject in itself!) Below are some of the more commonly used words and thier pronounciations (approximately!) and thier definitions..i hope to add more to this as time goes on..enjoy!..


aware..(ah-wah-ray)..touchingness, the quality of an object to touch ones emotions..your native flag has aware, another countrys better designed flag does not have it.

Basho..(Bah-show)..japanese word for bannana tree.

choka..(choe-kah)..long poem with 5-7-5, 7-7 renga pattern but done by one person.

haibun..(hi-buhn)..brief prose accompanied by one or more haiku.

haiga..(hi-gah)..painting or drawing, usually ink, sketched to accompany a handwritten haiku.

haijin..(hi-gin).. 1.a haiku person.. 2.a haiku master poet or a crippled person.. (thats what it says!)

haiku..(hi-coo)..short japanese poem which chronicles the essence of a moment when nature and human life are linked.

hokku..(hoe-coo)..term for the first stanza of a renga..haiku as we know it today evolved from the hokku.

kasen..(kah-say'n).. 1.immortal poet.. 2.term for a 36 verse renga written in traditional style with moon and flower verses included.

kashi..(kah-she)..song lyrics.

karumi..(kah-rue-me)..lightness, the beauty of ordinary things.

ki..(key)..japanese word meaning season.

kigo..(key-go)..seasonal word used in haiku to indicate the time or season, and to set an atmosphere for the haiku.

kireji..(key-ree-gee)..japanese word indicating 'pause' or 'end of a clause'..usually occurs at the end of the first or second line.

kiyose..(key-yo-see)..japanese season words list or guide.

ku..(coo)..japanese term for verse.

kukai..(coo-key)..gathering of haiku poets.

kyoka..(que'-yoe-kah)..mad poem, with tone and feel of a limerick, written in tanka form.

Miku..(Me-coo)..poetic form derived from traditional haiku that seeks to achieve spirit of haiku in non-japanese languages, with very few words.

onji..(oh'n-gee)..japanese unit of sound symbols, usually misunderstood and mistranslated as 'syllable'.

oriku..(oh-ree-coo)..acrostic renga..(now heres a challenge for ya!)..almost no one has ever explored this in english!.

renga..(ray'n-gah)..linked elegance, japanese poetry form in which 3 line stanzas of 5-7-5 onji are linked to a 2 line stanza of 7-7 onji..usually written by two or more people.

rengaawase..(ray'n-gah-ah-wah-say)..a renga contest.

ryogin..(re-yoe-jean)..renga written by two authors.

saijiki..(sigh-gee-key)..almanac of seasonal words and seasonal topics and how to use them in haiku composition.

sake..(sah-key)..japanese alcoholic beverage made with fermented rice.

satori..(sah-toe-ree)..zen term meaning "awakening to our 'original inseparability' with the universe".

sedoka..(say-doe-kah)..considered to be the forerunner of renga, using very old 7th century verse form consisting of matching stanzas, using question and answers to reveal riddles.

senku..(say'n-coo)..a 1000 link renga.

senryu..(sen-you-rue)..river willow..(for real it says that!) also known as the satiric variant spin-off of true haiku form..basically the same as haiku, but with no requirements for a season or nature theme.

shika..(she-kah)..japanese and chinese poetry.

shibumi..(she-boo-me)..(i LOVE this word!!..it rolls off the tongue like butter!).. 1.a favorite flavor of ice-cream.. 2.describes subdued, classical, or astringent images in poetry.

soku..(so-coo)..distantly related verse..two links that make you wonder if the authors were working on the same renga!

tanka..(tah'n-kah)..oldest form of literature in the world..this lyrical form of poetry contains 31 onji and is written in 5 units of 5-7-5, 7-7..has also been called waka.

tenja..(tay'n-jah)..a judge in haiku competitions.

uta..(oo-tah)..generic term for traditional poetry in Japan, synonomous with 'tanka'.

waka..(wah-kah)..5 line poem, also called uta and tanka.

******

SEASON WORDS LIST

There are literally thousands and thousands of 'season words' (kigo) that one can use to suggest a season when writing haiku. Below is a small listing of some of them.

Spring

blossom
cherry blossom
melting snow
plowing
nestlings
fledglings
butterfly
frog
bee
muddy fields
tadpole
kite
chicks
lambs
May basket
robin
azalea
hummingbird
tulip
nightengale
plum blossoms
violet
pansy
tranquility
spring dawn
spring day
spring sky
east wind
last frost
blossom time
sowing seed
cats in love
skylark
twittering birds
wisteria
willow
buttercup
crocus
hyacinth
shell gathering
***

Summer

mosquitos
swimming
billowing clouds
ants
flies
houseflies
parasol
sunflowers
fireflies
ice-cream
jellyfish
spiders
garden snail
toad
gardenia
tree frog
hibiscus
rainbow
crab
south wind
scented breeze
honeysuckle
hollyhock
magnolia
clear water
barefeet
cucumber
melons
iced tea
sunburn
sunglasses
sundress
shaded spot
silkworm
fireworks
camping
ladybugs
peony
young leaves
cicadas
fans
***

Autumn

scarecrows
huckleberries
mushrooms
moon
nuts
crickets
pumpkins
gourds
apples
squash
falling leaves
persimmons
long night
night of stars
autumn rain
autumn sky
harvest
leaves turning
cornfield
vineyards
raking leaves
burning leaves
grasshopper
insects
katydid
migrating geese
chilly
night chill
harvest moon
dew frost
deer
quail
pine cricket
chestnuts
chrysanthemums
singing crickets
vines
***

Winter

snow
pinenuts
pinecones
holly
bear
wild ducks
begging
winter birds
scarf
charcoal fire
fireplace
wolf
socks drying
gloves
mittens
icicles
short day
winter night
frost
ice
winter morning
winter day
freeze
north wind
sleet
winter wind
blizzard
winter sea
winter seashore
withered moor
banked fire
hot chocolate
ice skate
popcorn
quilt
snowman
snowball
cold
first snow
snowflakes
porridge
bonfire
hawk
blanket
sweater
muffler
winter hat
open fire
frostbite
***

******
Last edited by moonflower on Sat Mar 04, 2006 6:09 pm, edited 11 times in total.
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Tom Watson
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Post by Tom Watson » Sun Feb 01, 2004 12:25 pm

:cool:
Congratulations Moonflower! This is the most comprehensive and easily read informational posting I have seen yet. A lot of interesting information that makes it a treasure chest for anyone interested in truly discovering the real world of Tanka and its better known part called "Haiku".

Most impressive contribution! :thumbsup: :bow:

Tom
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"Whispers of Love" a book of poetry expressing love of the heart and spirit is released worldwide on August 11, 2009. Visit my home page at
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moonflower
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Post by moonflower » Sun Feb 01, 2004 7:14 pm

thank you Tom!!..wasnt sure if anyone would ever venture in here to read this stuff!..lol.. :lol:

its been lots of fun putting it together..i love doing research on things like this..and im glad you thought it was easily read.. and informative!..thank you so much for saying that!..my main concern was that it would be too hard to understand for those just learning..i wanted it to be easily read and understood by people who have never heard of haiku..cause i had such a hard time understanding what haiku was when i first heard of it! ..on these very pages.. so i was going for informative but simple and easy guidelines.. i thank you so much for your very kind words!..and for coming in here and reading!..its a veerrrry long page..lol.. :lol: :lol:

ps..thank you for the link about Sijo! (in your reply to burdick)..i have just now added that info here on this haiku info page.. its great!:lol:
inside each soul there is music...let the music play..

visit my poets page

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laryalee

Post by laryalee » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:03 am

Hi Moonflower,
I really enjoyed your information...
I'm becoming more and more involved with
haiku, and I wonder if I could put in a few links
that may interest anyone who questions the strictness
of the 5/7/5 format?
I began writing this way, but gradually evolved into a
more flexible style, where trying to capture "the moment"
becomes more important than the syllable count
(although never exceeding 17).

This is an absolutely gorgeous site, and it belongs to a
fellow Canadian, Ray Rasmussen:

http://raysweb.net/haiku/

The World Haiku Review: http://www.worldhaikureview.org/

Simply Haiku, a relatively new ezine: http://www.simplyhaiku.com/

I've been reading some of the excellent posts here...
you have a fine forum, indeed!
:)
Lary

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moonflower
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Post by moonflower » Wed Feb 11, 2004 12:01 pm

hi laryalee!...thanks so much for your kind words!..and yes im happy for the links!..thats one thing this page is lacking..(cuz im such a dummy i dont know how to do it!..lol..)..my daughter is going to show me tho..so yes thank you very much for these ..havnt visited them yet but will tonight!..thanks for looking in here!.. :lol:
inside each soul there is music...let the music play..

visit my poets page

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Grandma Moses
Clearwater Poet
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Location: Issaquah, Washington

Post by Grandma Moses » Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:57 pm

Thanks for the hard work, Moonflower. What an inspiration it is! :grin:

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thief of dreams
surrounded by shadows
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Post by thief of dreams » Sat Jul 03, 2004 6:26 pm

after all that.. i think i need a drink...
hehe
:cheers:
"Thoughts are the shadows of our feelings - always darker, emptier and simpler."
Friedrich Nietzsche

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moonflower
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Post by moonflower » Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:23 pm

thanks for venturing in here grandma and thief!..it IS a very long page..lol.. :lol: i hope to update it before long..then it'll be even longer! :mrgreen:
hey thanks again for coming in here..and for posting!..
:cheers:
inside each soul there is music...let the music play..

visit my poets page

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suede

Post by suede » Thu Aug 12, 2004 3:19 am

the information
is awesome and great to read
i'll be back for more
:grin:

hehehe...that's my first haiku.
seriously though, thanks for all the info. very interesting, especially the origins.

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moonflower
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Post by moonflower » Wed Sep 01, 2004 7:06 am

thank you suede!..(sorry i didnt see this til now!)..glad you found my page informative and fun to read!.. :lol: ..
inside each soul there is music...let the music play..

visit my poets page

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heinzs
The Fat Cat
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Post by heinzs » Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:27 pm

:bump:
**************************************
An' it harm none, do what ye will. Blessed Be.
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My Poet's Page Archive | Topics I've started

snorple
Seafoam Poet
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:30 am

Thanks for the infomation

Post by snorple » Fri Mar 03, 2006 1:51 am

Thanks for the lovely intruduction to haiku, really loved it, I shall keep it as a reference.
As I undertsand it Haikai is a one stanza of this poetry form, and more than one stanza is a Haiku?

shawn2005
cruel but fair
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Post by shawn2005 » Fri Mar 03, 2006 1:54 am

isn't it supposed to stick to a theme of nature in one form or another?
ie: this is not highkoo

this is not highkoo
i eat them, mother rambles
pie pie pie pie pie

rlnimages
Clearwater Poet
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Post by rlnimages » Fri Mar 03, 2006 4:27 am

That's a great intro to haiku, haikai, etc., moonflower - I'm glad it got bumped!

The thing I've always felt was the essence and art of haiku, aside from the obvious 5-7-5 pattern, are the twinned themes - two lines of one subject and one line with a more abstract and independent theme. I love to see the interplay between the two parts of a well-done traditional haiku - it can be breathtaking. It's also intriguing to see how the kigo, or season word, gets worked in.

Richard

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moonflower
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Post by moonflower » Sat Mar 04, 2006 6:47 pm

snorple..hey thanks for venturing in and reading! :grin: ..i personally had never heard the word 'Haikai' so i did some research and if i understand what i read, the two words, 'Haiku' and 'Haikai' have practically the exact same definition.. 3 lines with 5-7-5 syllable counts..not sure if the other 'rules' are the same for both..like the 'season word', 'the essence of the moment' and being about 'nature'..i just tonight posted some info i found on the internet about it in this topic as an update..i will keep looking for more info and will post what i can find out..hey thanks again for reading and replying!..keep checking back for more info :grin:

~~

zero..yes you are right :grin: ..a true haiku always has a 'kigo', or season word..

hey.. "highkoo"..i LOVE that! :thumbsup: :grin: thanks so much for coming in and reading!..and commenting! :grin:

~~

rlnimages..thanks for wandering in and sifting through all this stuff! :grin:
i so agree with you about the twinned themes..(it took me forever to figure out how to write that way!..and how to write so that each line stands on its own!)..i used to make it like one long continuous sentence..:roll:

a true haiku can indeed be breathtaking and can make you stop in your tracks and do a 'doubletake'..most of what is posted in the forum as haiku is really senryu..which is an equally breathtaking form!..hey its so great to meet another haiku lover!.. thanks again for dropping in and reading!..and posting! :grin:

~~
inside each soul there is music...let the music play..

visit my poets page

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