Heeding Haiku with Ha – A Haiku Moment – October 29, 2014

Hello, I’m here today to sit in for HA, who will be back with us next week.

Haiku is many things but a haiku moment is an instant in time.  For some haijin, the important thing to relate in that instant is insight, for others it’s a vision of nature and for other’s still an image or emotion.

There isn’t even much agreement as to exactly how a haiku should be written in English …  here I’m just speaking of length.  The onji (sounds) of the Japanese are not equivalent to our syllables … however when haiku was brought to America the importers made what might be considered a literal translation of onji and because a haiku has 17 onji, 17 syllables were considered the proper length for a haiku.

Recent experts now believe that the best way to write a haiku is to write three lines:  short – long – short and not to worry too much about syllables though the haiku must be as brief as possible – because basically, if we write syllables, we’re going to write a haiku that is approximately 1/3 longer than a Japanese haiku.  I personally started out writing haiku with the classic 5-7-5, it was good discipline, only later did I consider the freer short-long-short.

One thing that is certain is that haiku are elegant and concise.  When well written it can take your breath away.

Now, after I’ve written all this, where am I going?  I would like you to listen to this piece of music, then feel what that piece of music has to say to you, then write a haiku – in the “traditional” 5-7-5 syllable form or in the new short – long – short form remembering that in the latter form, we’re looking for brevity and precision .. a haiku moment.   (This link will take you to a haiku workshop.)

 

Here is an example that might help you from the haiku poet Jim Kacian:

swallow flight
looking out the window
long after

(c) Kacian (2006)

 

Remember to link with Mr. Linky and tag your posts: Heeding Haiku with HA and Mindlovesmisery’s Menagerie:

Have a great week, Bastet.