#kireji

[eggtrolls]

haiku misinformation: a fact check

there's an post going around about haiku that has a lot of incorrect information about haiku, its terminology, history, etc. I will try to debunk some of the biggest inaccuracies here. everything in quotes is a direct statement from the original post. this is also really, really long.

"Haiku are made of 14 on, which are essentially the equivalent to Japanese syllabic structures, except the nature of how Japanese as a language is constructed versus English means that any given proper haiku could be translated in extremely and intensely different ways, each giving a subtle but distinctly different meaning."

Starting off strong - haiku are (usually) made of 17 on. It's the classic 5-7-5 pattern! 5+7+5=17! [possibly this is a mix-up with wakiku (脇(わき)句(く)) which is another type of Japanese poetry that does use 14 on but who knows.]

Definitions: an on is a phonetic unit, the equivalent to a mora (pl. morae) in English. this concept a) exists in English and b) like on, is related to syllables but distinctly different from them (i.e. ba is one mora but baa with a long vowel is two morae). On can be counted using the number of hiragana (phonetic syllabic characters) when the text is transliterated, so a word like Osaka that has the long O sound (made up of 4 kana) would be 4 morae or 4 on (o-o-sa-ka; おおさか). it's not really a syllabic structure at all, and more importantly has nothing to do with translation. idk where that last part comes from because that's really...not the point here. Yes, any given "proper" haiku could be translated in different ways with a subtle but distinctly different meaning but that's true of just...translation, period. check out Deborah Smith's translation of The Vegetarian by Han Kang for more on that.

Furthermore, haiku were/are not rigidly locked into the 5-7-5 on pattern. That's just not true, which is why I said usually above. Easy example: a 1676 haiku by Matsuo Basho that uses 18-on:

冨士の風や　扇にのせて 江戸土産; ふじのかぜや おうぎにのせて えどみやげ; the wind of Fuji /I've brought on my fan/a gift from Edo <- that first line is 6-on!

2. "The best way I can explain what I mean is that in English a good poem can be defined as a shallow river, whereas a good haiku is a deeply-dug well."

Not dignifying this with a response. Deeply incorrect and untrue. @bill-blake-fans-anonymous can handle this assertion.

3. "The presence of the kigu. There is a specific series of characters/words which are used to imply a season, and specifically a specific aspect of a season which the haiku revolves around. The creation of a haiku is often done as a meditative practice revolving around the kigu--you're essentially contemplating on this particular natural feature (nearly always the temporal aspect emphasizes either ephemerality or the opposite as well bc Buddhist ideas of enlightenment and beauty begin coming into play) and building an evocative and purposeful point that revolves around it like a hinge. It functions as both ground and anchor."

First (and largest) problem: the word. is. kigo. kigo. It's ki (季; season)-go (語; word) = 季語. Both the English and Japanese language Wikipedia, or a 3-second google search, will tell you this immediately. I have no idea where the term kigu comes from.

Second problem: plenty of haiku, both traditional and contemporary, do not use kigo. these are described as muki (無季; seasonless). Matsuo Basho, the haiku-writing poet non-Japanese people are most likely to know, wrote at least ten seasonless haiku that exist today. Masaoka Shiki, the Meiji-era haiku poet and reformist, wrote hundreds of kigo-free haiku and as an agnostic, tried to separate haiku from Buddhism and focus more on the shasei, the sketches from daily life. you can actually, today, buy what are called saijiki, which are lists of words and terms that refer to specific seasons (in the traditional Japanese calendar, so there are actually a lot of "micro" seasons as well). some saijiki include a whole section of "seasonles" words - here's an article about non-season kigo in a saijiki.

so the claim that English-language haiku are invalid or not "real" haiku because they lack a kigo doesn't hold up, unless you invalidate a whole bunch of Japanese haiku as well. the op also claimed they would categorize a lot of English "haiku" as senryū which is...an opinion. Yes, haiku tend to be focused around nature (more on that below) and senryū tend to be more comedic or about human foibles but...that's it! it's a tendency! it's not a hard and fast rule!

Third problem: the claim that a haiku is as meditative practice revolving around the kigu kigo...yeah, no. the earlier form of haiku, the hokku, were the introductory poems of the longer poetic form, the renga and the hokku gradually became a standalone poetic form known as haiku. the hokku had a lot of purposes and we have a historical record of them going back ~1000 years to Emperor Juntoku where they were declamatory poems tied to events (births, deaths, etc.) or social events (moon-viewing parties) - not really meditative. haiku, if a genre can focus on a single idea, focus on an experience and that can be real or imaginary, direct and personal or neither.

Here's another Basho poem for your consideration:

夏草や 兵どもが 夢の跡 (natsukusa ya tsuwamonodomo ga yume no ato; summer grasses--/traces of dreams/of ancient warriors)

both the dreams and the grasses are those of Basho (contemporary) and of the warriors (ancient); it's about travel, it's about connecting the present to the ancient past, it's not really so much about the summer.

(Fourth, minor problem that I'm not really going to get into: you'd have to take this 'Buddhist ideas of enlightenment and beauty' up with haiku scholar Haruo Shirane but he explicitly says in the Routledge Global Haiku Reader (2024) that "pioneers of English-language haiku [such as D.T. Suzuki, Alan Watts, and the Beats] mistakenly emphasized Zen Buddhism in Japanese haiku".....so.)

4. "The presence of the kireji...it's a concept borderline absent from English because it's an intersection of linguistics and philosophy that doesn't really exist outside of the context of Japanese."

Let's begin with clarification. What is kireji (lit. a 'cutting word')? It's a class of terms in Japanese poetry that can do a few things, depending on the specific kireji and its place in the poem. In the middle of the poem, it can mark a thematic break, a cut in the stream of thought highlighting the parallel(s) between the preceding and following phrases. At the end of the poem, it provides a sense of ending and closure - it helps mark rhythmic division, to say the least, and it is seen as the 'pivot' word.

Two problems with claims above:

a. there are haiku that do not use kireji. For the hat trick, here's a Matsuo Basho haiku from 1689 AD that is kireji-free: 初しぐれ猿も小蓑をほしげ也 (hatsu shigure saru mo komino wo hoshige nari; the first cold shower/even the monkey seems to want/a little coat of straw) <- NB: I love this haiku so much

b. the idea of a kireji, as in a pivot word that provides an inflection point with rhythmic division and structure, exist not just in English poetry but in multiple different types of poetry across time and space! The caesura in Latin and Ancient Greek! The volta in sonnets! Whatever is happening in the third line of the Korean sijo!

final thoughts:

the op included language, which I won't quote here because it was messy and tied into other rbs, about Orientalism and appropriation in English-language haiku, which is definitely a real thing. but this blanket statement ignores that the relationship between haiku and "the West", much like Japan and "the West", was and is not a one-way street. Western writers were influenced by haiku and, in turn, those writers influenced Japanese writers who wrote haiku inspired by these influences - this process has been going on for well over a century. Furthermore, English and Japanese are not the only languages in which haiku are written! Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore was writing haiku in Bengali; other Indian poets were and are writing them in Gujrati and Malayalam, particularly by the poet Ashitha. the Pakistani poet Omer Tarin has written haiku about Hiroshima! The Spanish poet Lorca published haiku in, get this, Spanish, in 1921 and the Mexican poet José Juan Tablada published more in 1922! Italian translations of Yosano Akiko were published in 1919! any discussion of the idea that English/non-Japanese-language haiku aren't really haiku because they don't hold to the "rules" (which Japanese authors have been revising, adapting, critiquing, and/or straight up flouting for centuries) or because English/non-Japanese poetry is "a shallow river whereas a good haiku is a deeply-dug well" just shows a lack of knowledge around traditions and depths of...well, poetry itself.

my god this is so long.

in summary: this is a complex topic. If anyone would like some actual information about haiku, its history, common themes and forms, or a collection of good poets, the Routledge Global Haiku Reader (2024) and Haiku Before Haiku : From the Renga Masters to Basho (2011) are great references and really accessible in their language! hmu if you're interested and I can send you some pdfs.

[corvidcall]

None Of You Know What Haiku Are

I'm going to preface this by saying that i am not an expert in ANY form of poetry, just an enthusiast. Also, this post is... really long. Too long? Definitely too long. Whoops! I love poetry.

If you ask most English-speaking people (or haiku-bot) what a haiku is, they would probably say that it's a form of poetry that has 3 lines, with 5, and then 7, and then 5 syllables in them. That's certainly what I was taught in school when we did our scant poetry unit, but since... idk elementary school when I learned that, I've learned that that's actually a pretty inaccurate definition of haiku. And I think that inaccurate definition is a big part of why most people (myself included until relatively recently!) think that haiku are kind of... dumb? unimpressive? simple and boring? I mean, if you can just put any words with the right number of syllables into 3 lines, what makes it special?

Well, let me get into why the 5-7-5 understanding of haiku is wrong, and also what makes haiku so special (with examples)!

First of all, Japanese doesn't have syllables! There's a few different names for what phonetic units actually make up the language- In Japanese, they're called "On" (音), which translates to "sound", although English-language linguists often call it a "mora" (μ), which (quoting from Wikipedia here) "is a basic timing unit in the phonology of some spoken languages, equal to or shorter than a syllable." (x) "Oh" is one syllable, and also one mora, whereas "Oi" has one syllable, but two moras. "Ba" has one mora, "Baa" has two moras, etc. In English, we would say that a haiku is made up of three lines, with 5-7-5 syllables in them, 17 syllables total. In Japanese, that would be 17 sounds.

For an example of the difference, the word "haiku", in English, has 2 syllables (hai-ku), but in Japanese, はいく has 3 sounds (ha-i-ku). "Christmas" has 2 syllables, but in Japanese, "クリスマス" (ku-ri-su-ma-su) is 5 sounds! that's a while line on its own! Sometimes the syllables are the same as the sounds ("sushi" is two syllables, and すし is two sounds), but sometimes they're very different.

In addition, words in Japanese are frequently longer than their English equivalents. For example, the word "cuckoo" in Japanese is "ほととぎす" (hototogisu).

Now, I'm sure you're all very impressed at how I can use an English to Japanese dictionary (thank you, my mother is proud), but what does any of this matter? So two languages are different. How does that impact our understanding of haiku?

Well, if you think about the fact that Japanese words are frequently longer than English words, AND that Japanese counts sounds and not syllables, you can see how, "based purely on a 17-syllable counting method, a poet writing in English could easily slip in enough words for two haiku in Japanese” (quote from Grit, Grace, and Gold: Haiku Celebrating the Sports of Summer by Kit Pancoast Nagamura). If you're writing a poem using 17 English syllables, you are writing significantly more content than is in an authentic Japanese haiku.

(Also not all Japanese haiku are 17 sounds at all. It's really more of a guideline.)

Focusing on the 5-7-5 form leads to ignoring other strategies/common conventions of haiku, which personally, I think are more interesting! Two of the big ones are kigo, a season word, and kireji, a cutting word.

Kigo are words/phrases/images associated with a particular season, like snow for winter, or cherry blossoms for spring. In Japan, they actually publish reference books of kigo called saijiki, which is basically like a dictionary or almanac of kigo, describing the meaning, providing a list of related words, and some haiku that use that kigo. Using a a particular kigo both grounds the haiku in a particular time, but also alludes to other haiku that have used the same one.

Kireji is a thing that doesn't easily translate to English, but it's almost like a spoken piece of punctuation, separating the haiku into two parts/images that resonate with and add depth to each other. Some examples of kireji would be "ya", "keri", and "kana." Here's kireji in action in one of the most famous haiku:

古池や　蛙飛び込む　水の音 (Furu ike ya　kawazu tobikomu　mizu no oto) (The old pond — A frog jumps in The sound of the water.)

You can see the kireji at the end of the first line- 古池や literally translates to "old pond ya". The "ya" doesn't have linguistic meaning, but it denotes the separation between the two focuses of the haiku. First, we are picturing a pond. It's old, mature. The water is still. And then there's a frog! It's spring and he's fresh and new to the world! He jumps into the pond and goes "splash"! Wowie! When I say "cutting word", instead of say, a knife cutting, I like to imagine a film cut. The camera shows the pond, and then it cuts to the frog who jumps in.

English doesn't really have a version of this, at least not one that's spoken, but in English language haiku, people will frequently use a dash or an ellipses to fill the same role.

Format aside, there are also some conventions of the actual content, too. They frequently focus on nature, and are generally use direct language without metaphor. They use concrete images without judgement or analysis, inviting the reader to step into their shoes and imagine how they'd feel in the situation. It's not about describing how you feel, so much as it's about describing what made you feel.

Now, let's put it all together, looking at a haiku written Yosa Buson around 1760 (translated by Harold G. Henderson)

The piercing chill I feel: my dead wife's comb, in our bedroom, under my heel

We've got our kigo with "the piercing chill." We read that, and we imagine it's probably winter. It's cold, and the kind of cold wind that cuts through you. There's our kireji- this translation uses a colon to differentiate our two images: the piercing chill, and the poet stepping on his dead wife's comb. There's no descriptions of what the poet is feeling, but you can imagine stepping into his shoes. You can imagine the pain he's experiencing in that moment on your own.

"But tumblr user corvidcall!" I hear you say, "All the examples you've used so far are Japanese haiku that have been translated! Are you implying that it's impossible for a good haiku to be written in English?" NO!!!!! I love English haiku! Here's a good example, which won first place in the 2000 Henderson haiku contest, sponsored by the Haiku Society of America:

meteor shower . . . a gentle wave wets our sandals

When you read this one, can you imagine being in the poet's place? Do you feel the surprise as the tide comes in? Do you feel the summer-ness of the moment? Haiku are about describing things with the senses, and how you take in the world around you. In a way, it's like the poet is only setting a scene, which you inhabit and fill with meaning based on your own experiences. You and I are imagining different beaches, different waves, different people that make up the "our" it mentioned.

"Do I HAVE to include all these things when I write haiku? If I include all these things, does that mean my haiku will be good?" I mean, I don't know. What colors make up a good painting? What scenes make up a good play? It's a creative medium, and nobody can really tell you you can't experiment with form. Certainly not me! But I think it's important to know what the conventions of the form are, so you can appreciate good examples of it, and so you can know what you're actually experimenting with. And I mean... I'm not the poetry cops. But if you're not interested in engaging with the actual conventions and limitations of the form, then why are you even using that form?

I'll leave you with one more English language haiku, which is probably my favorite haiku ever. It was written by Tom Bierovic, and won first place at the 2021 Haiku Society of America Haiku Awards

a year at most . . . we pretend to watch the hummingbirds

Sources: (x) (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)

Further reading:

Forms in English Haiku by Keiko Imaoka Haiku: A Whole Lot More Than 5-7-5 by Jack How to Write a Bad Haiku by KrisL Haiku Are Not a Joke: A Plea from a Poet Who Has Had It Up to Here by Sandra Simpson Haiku Checklist by Katherine Raine

[naturallyteal]

Good Omens haikus

Some more haikus with the prompt “nature” for GOetry Monday

@goodomensafterdark @isiaiowin

This time I tried to use the traditional method where a haiku paints a background picture, sets a scene, conveys a mood, and then sets a sharp point of colour in the foreground, describes sudden movement, wakes you up, which is called kireji or “cutting word”.

Make it Good Omens themed, of course:

~

Whales and dolphins dream

The whole damn sea full of brains. *

The kraken rises!

~

Bones of dinosaurs.

A joke that no one got yet.

But God is laughing.

~

Tadfield to Mayfair

The susurrus of a bus

Your hand holds mine fast

~

Black void, dark matter.

Time and space with bated breath -

Let there be light!

~

Two souls on a slab

Facing a veiled horizon

Origin story

~

* "Big brains. That's my point. Size of. Size of. Size of damn big brains. And then there's the whales. Brain city, take it from me. Whole damn sea full of brains."

~ Crowley talking about dolphins and whales, book!GoodOmens

Let me know which one you liked best!?

[tempenensis]

Yorozu's "haiku"

イケメンも (ikemen mo ; "even handsome men" 干せばカピカピ (hoseba kapikapi ; "got flaky if they dried out") いとおかし (itookashi ; "it's very lovely")

Sukuna: Where's the kigo*?

On top of 17-on with 5-7-5 pattern, a proper haiku usually will include a kigo (季語 ; "seasonal words". Haiku is usually about appreciation of the nature so usually they will include words related to the seasons) and a kireji ("cutting word" - in this case the "-shi" at the end of last line).

Yorozu's haiku doesn't include a kigo lol, so it's actually more accurate to be called a senryu; a contemporary type of poetry derived from haiku, following the 5-7-5 pattern but without the requirement of kigo or kireji. I'd imagine Sukuna as a haughty Heian culture conservative would scoff at the idea of senryu lmao

[hidden-in-the-words]

cicada siren cutting summer evening air — nature's kireji

[coffee-stainedwriting]

Poetry; Haikus

Haikus are poems of three lines and typically focus on nature. They have a specific amount of syllables per line and don't rhyme.

Haikus are often said to have 5 syllables on the first line, 7 on the second and 5 on the third, which is correct in English. However, they originated in Japan, which uses multiple different alphabets of typically 69 characters, most of which consist of the english translation of two letters. (E.g hirigana symbol か would translate to English Ka). In Japanese, they use 17 on (syllables) Consequently, reading and writing haikus in Japanese makes them flow better and sounds like how they were intended.

Often, they focus on a single event and use juxtaposition and imagery. Traditionally, they use at least one kireji (cutting word, it creates a pause in the poem, which doesn't translate to English, so often an exclamation mark or ellipsis is used) and one kigo (a seasonal reference).

Overall, writing haikus in English is fairly simple, with one of the most easy structures. Although, if you are looking for a more traditional poem, attempt some of the Japanese haiku rules.

Some famous poets who use this structure include: Matsuo Basho, Kobayashi Issa, Jack Kerouac, Sonia Sanchez and Tomoji Ishizuka

[knuweeklyblog2024basicwriting2]

EXAMPLES OF THE MOST BASIC KIND OF DESCRIPTIVE WRITING THERE IS AND WHY SIMPLER IS SOMETIMES BETTER

“The Old Pond” by Matsuo Bashō

An old silent pond

A frog jumps into the pond—

Splash! Silence again.

This traditional example comes from Matsuo Bashō, one of the four great masters of Haiku. Historically, haikus are a derivative of the Japanese Hokku. Hokkus are collaborative poems which follow the 5/7/5 rule. They are meant to comment on the season or surroundings of the authors and create some sort of contrasting imagery separated by a kireji or “cutting word” (like “Splash!”).

“A World of Dew” by Kobayashi Issa

A world of dew,

And within every dewdrop

A world of struggle.

Though sometimes, the kireji comes at the end of a haiku to give it a sense of closure. Kobayashi Issa, another great Haiku master, writes this stirring poem that places the kireji at the end. Translated, Issa’s haiku doesn’t meet the 5/7/5 rule, but its power remains.

“Lighting One Candle” by Yosa Buson

The light of a candle

Is transferred to another candle—

Spring twilight

Haikus focus on a brief moment in time, juxtaposing two images, and creating a sudden sense of enlightenment. A good example of this is haiku master Yosa Buson’s comparison of a singular candle with the starry wonderment of the spring sky.

“A Poppy Blooms” by Katsushika Hokusai

I write, erase, rewrite

Erase again, and then

A poppy blooms.

Katsushika Hokusai, a disciple of Bashō, writes another powerful haiku that translation cannot accurately capture. In it, he compares a written poem to a blooming poppy. He uses imagery of the spring season to describe his writing process.

“Over the Wintry” by Natsume Sōseki

Over the wintry

Forest, winds howl in rage

With no leaves to blow.

A slightly more modern Japanese poet, Natsume Sōseki, likens his breath to the wind in this haunting haiku. He learned the art of composing haikus from one of the four great haiku masters: Masaoka Shiki. As the art of the haiku traveled west, influential American writers like Ezra Pound picked up the craft.

“In a Station of the Metro” by Ezra Pound

The apparition of these faces in the crowd;

Petals on a wet, black bough.

Describing the Paris Underground, “In a Station of the Metro” is often considered the first haiku written in English, though it does not follow the 5/7/5 structure. As Pound believed that superfluous words tend to dull an image, the philosophy of the Haiku is perfectly up his alley.

“The Taste of Rain” by Jack Kerouac

The taste

Of rain

—Why kneel?

Jack Kerouac proposed that, because the English language structure is different than Japanese, the western haiku should “simply say a lot in three short lines in any Western language. Above all, a Haiku must be very simple and free of all poetic trickery and make a little picture and yet be as airy and graceful as a Vivaldi Pastorella.” In Book of Haikus, Kerouac experiments this formal and freestyle.

Many western authors like to break with the 5/7/5 rule, but maintain the power, simplicity, and brevity.

Sonia Sanchez “Haiku [for you]”

love between us is

speech and breath. loving you is

a long river running.

Known for her innovative use of traditional formats like haiku in a modern context, even infusing them with bluesy rhythm, Sonia Sanchez received high praise for her collection Morning Haiku. In its opening essay, Sanchez expresses her deep appreciation for haiku as an art form.

Ravi Shankar “Lines on a Skull”

life’s little, our heads

sad. Redeemed and wasting clay

this chance. Be of use.

A slightly darker take on the art of haiku, “Lines on a Skull” is inspired by Lord Byron’s “Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup formed from a Skull.” Poet Ravi Shankar distills this late seventeenth-century poet’s words into a more modern, potent, and visceral version.  

Joyce Clement “Birds Punctuate the Days”

Period

One blue egg all summer long

Now gone

Poet Joyce Clement currently serves as a director of the Haiku Circle in Northfield, Massachusetts and co-editor of Frogpond, the journal of The Haiku Society of America; the title, a gentle nod to haiku master Bashō.

[poemshubs]

What Should You Avoid When Writing a Haiku?

Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry known for its brevity and depth. This three-line poem, with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5, captures moments of insight and beauty in a minimalist style. Despite its simplicity, crafting an effective haiku can be challenging. There are specific pitfalls that poets should avoid to maintain the essence of this form. This article will explore common mistakes in haiku writing and provide guidance on how to avoid them, ensuring your haiku resonates with clarity and impact.

Understanding the Haiku Form

Structure and Syllable Count

A traditional haiku follows a 5-7-5 syllable pattern, with three lines totaling 17 syllables. This structure is crucial, as it shapes the poem’s rhythm and helps create its distinctive brevity. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line returns to 5 syllables.

Seasonal Themes and Kigo

Traditional haikus often include a seasonal reference, known as a kigo. This element connects the poem to a particular time of year and provides a backdrop for the imagery. The inclusion of a kigo adds depth and context, linking the haiku to the natural world.

Cutting Word (Kireji)

In Japanese haiku, a cutting word or kireji provides a pause or break in the poem, creating a contrast or adding emphasis. While English haikus do not use kireji directly, poets often mimic its effect by creating a natural pause or shift in thought within the poem.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overcomplicating the Language

1. Avoid Complex Vocabulary and Long Sentences

Haikus are celebrated for their simplicity and clarity. Using complex vocabulary or long sentences contradicts the haiku’s purpose. The goal is to evoke a clear image or emotion in a few words. Avoid convoluted language that obscures the poem’s meaning.

Example:

Overcomplicated: “The verdant foliage of the oak tree rustles gently under the bright summer sun.”

Revised Haiku: “Oak leaves flutter / in the summer breeze, whispering / secrets to the sun.”

Ignoring the Traditional Structure

2. Avoid Deviating from the 5-7-5 Syllable Pattern

Sticking to the 5-7-5 syllable count is fundamental to maintaining the traditional haiku form. Deviating from this structure can disrupt the rhythm and balance of the poem. Ensure each line adheres to the specified syllable count.

Example:

Incorrect: “The moonlight shines on me / casting shadows on the ground / the night is so calm.”

Correct: “Moonlight on the ground / shadows dance in the night’s calm / whispers of the dusk.”

Failing to Capture a Moment

3. Avoid Writing Lengthy Descriptions

A haiku should capture a single moment or observation. Lengthy descriptions can dilute the impact of the poem. Focus on a specific image or moment that conveys emotion or insight.

Example:

Lengthy Description: “As I walked through the park, I noticed the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, creating a beautiful pink carpet on the ground.”

Revised Haiku: “Cherry blossoms fall / creating a pink carpet / beneath the spring sky.”

Neglecting Seasonal and Nature Themes

4. Avoid Omitting Seasonal References

Traditional haikus often include a seasonal reference or kigo. This element grounds the poem in the natural world and adds depth. Failing to incorporate a seasonal theme can make the haiku feel disconnected from its traditional roots.

Example:

Without Seasonal Reference: “The gentle breeze flows / through the branches of the trees / as the sun sets low.”

With Seasonal Reference: “Autumn breeze whispers / through the bare branches of trees / as the sun sets low.”

Lack of Emotional Impact

5. Avoid Writing Emotionless or Generic Lines

A haiku should evoke an emotional response or offer a moment of insight. Generic or emotionless lines fail to engage the reader. Strive for lines that convey a strong feeling or a unique perspective.

Example:

Emotionless: “The sun is shining / and the sky is very blue / it’s a nice day out.”

Emotional Impact: “Sunlight warms the sky / a soft breeze carries whispers / of summer’s embrace.”

Overusing Clichés

6. Avoid Using Clichéd Images or Phrases

Clichés can make a haiku feel stale and uninspired. Seek fresh and original imagery that offers a new perspective or insight. Avoid overused themes and phrases that lack originality.

Example:

Clichéd: “A lonely crow caws / in the dim light of the dusk / as the night falls in.”

Original: “A single crow’s call / echoes in the twilight hush / night’s veil softly falls.”

Missing the Cutting Effect

7. Avoid Lack of Contrast or Shift

In traditional haiku, the cutting word or kireji creates a contrast or shift in thought. While English haikus don’t use kireji, effective haikus often include a natural pause or shift. Failing to create this effect can make the haiku feel flat or one-dimensional.

Example:

Without Contrast: “The morning dew glistens / on the petals of the rose / as the sun rises.”

With Contrast: “Morning dew glistens / on the rose’s petal edge— / daybreak’s soft embrace.”

Tips for Writing Effective Haikus

Focus on a Single Image or Moment

To write an effective haiku, concentrate on a single image or moment. This focus allows you to explore the subject deeply and convey its essence succinctly. Avoid adding extraneous details or shifting focus.

Use Simple, Direct Language

Embrace simplicity and clarity in your language. Choose words that convey your message directly and effectively. Simple language helps maintain the haiku’s purity and impact.

Revise and Refine

Writing a haiku often involves revision. Review your poem to ensure it adheres to the structure, conveys the intended emotion, and avoids common pitfalls. Refining your haiku can enhance its clarity and resonance.

Experiment with Form

While adhering to traditional guidelines is important, don’t be afraid to experiment within the haiku form. Explore different themes, images, and approaches while maintaining the core principles of haiku writing.

Conclusion

Writing a haiku involves more than adhering to a specific structure; it requires capturing a moment with clarity and impact. By avoiding common pitfalls such as overcomplicating language, deviating from the traditional structure, and neglecting seasonal themes, poets can create haikus that resonate deeply with readers. Embracing simplicity, focusing on a single image, and avoiding clichés are key to crafting effective and memorable haikus. As you explore the art of haiku, remember that the form’s power lies in its ability to convey profound insights in just a few lines. Through careful attention to detail and a commitment to authenticity, you can create haikus that reflect the beauty and complexity of the world.

[cinquecolonnemagazine]

Poesie haiku sulla natura: doni dal Giappone

Le poesie haiku sulla natura rappresentano una delle forme più di componimento più rappresentativo della cultura orientale. Nate in Giappone, sono uno strumento di contemplazione e meditazione. In pochi righi sono capaci di trasmettere suggestioni che inducono all'introspezione. Cos'è un haiku? Un haiku è una forma di poesia giapponese composta da tre versi, con una struttura sillabica fissa di 5-7-5, per un totale di 17 sillabe. Tradizionalmente, l'haiku è un'immagine poetica che cattura un momento fugace della natura, spesso con una forte connessione alla stagione in cui è stato scritto. L'haiku è spesso concentrato sulla natura o su una breve esperienza, ed è progettato per evocare un'immagine mentale o un'emozione in modo semplice ed essenziale. Un haiku classico di solito include un riferimento alla stagione o al tempo dell'anno, chiamato kigo, e un "taglio" o kireji, che separa il poema in due parti, creando una tensione o un contrasto tra di esse. Il linguaggio utilizzato nell'haiku è spesso metaforico o suggestivo, piuttosto che esplicito, e lascia spazio all'interpretazione personale del lettore. Poesie haiku sulla natura: che scopo hanno? Lo scopo principale delle poesie haiku sulla natura è quello di evocare una reazione emotiva o una connessione con la natura attraverso la sua immagine mentale, utilizzando poche parole e un linguaggio semplice ed essenziale. L'haiku tradizionale giapponese si concentra sulla bellezza della natura, sul passaggio delle stagioni e sui momenti fugaci della vita quotidiana, cercando di catturare la sua essenza con la massima precisione possibile. Oltre a rappresentare un'esperienza o un'immagine naturale, l'haiku può anche riflettere l'umore, il pensiero o l'esperienza personale del poeta, o suggerire un senso di armonia, equilibrio o semplicità nella vita. Nella cultura giapponese, l'haiku è spesso utilizzato come forma di meditazione o contemplazione, e la sua brevità e semplicità sono premurose virtù estetiche. Oggigiorno, l'haiku è ampiamente apprezzato e praticato in tutto il mondo come forma di poesia distinta e raffinata, sia nella sua forma tradizionale che in varianti più sperimentali. Chi ha inventato l'haiku? L'haiku è una forma di poesia giapponese che si è sviluppata nel XVII secolo. E' stata poi perfezionata da un poeta giapponese di nome Matsuo Basho. Basho è considerato uno dei più grandi poeti di haiku di tutti i tempi. Ha scritto molti dei più famosi e iconici haiku della tradizione giapponese. La sua opera più famosa è il "Sentiero del dorso di cavallo" (Oku no Hosomichi), un diario di viaggio poetico che descrive il suo viaggio attraverso il Giappone e che contiene molti haiku. La sua opera ha influenzato profondamente la forma e lo stile dell'haiku. Tuttavia, il formato di poesia che oggi conosciamo come haiku ha avuto origine molto prima di Basho. L'haiku deriva da una forma di poesia chiamata hokku. L'hokku una parte integrante di una forma di intrattenimento chiamata renga, in cui i partecipanti si alternano nella scrittura di una serie di versi collegati. Il primo hokku è stato scritto nel XII secolo da un monaco buddista giapponese di nome Saigyo. E' stato Saigyo ad aver introdotto l'idea di utilizzare una descrizione della natura come primo verso di una sequenza di versi. Chi scrive haiku? L'haiku è una forma di poesia che può essere scritta da chiunque, in qualsiasi lingua. Tuttavia, l'haiku ha origini nella tradizione giapponese e molti poeti che scrivono haiku oggi si ispirano alla tradizione giapponese. Nella tradizione giapponese, l'haiku è stata scritta da un'ampia gamma di autori, da poeti professionisti a dilettanti, da uomini e donne, e da persone di tutte le età. L'haiku è sempre stata una forma di poesia popolare, che è stata scritta e apprezzata dalle persone comuni. Oggi, l'haiku è una forma di poesia molto popolare in tutto il mondo, e molti poeti contemporanei scrivono haiku in diverse lingue. Molti di questi poeti cercano di rispettare la forma e la struttura del haiku giapponese, mentre altri sperimentano con la forma e la adattano alle proprie esigenze espressive. In generale, l'haiku è una forma di poesia che incoraggia la contemplazione della natura e della vita, e molti poeti scrivono haiku per riflettere su momenti fugaci e per catturare l'essenza del mondo che li circonda. In copertina foto di For commercial use, some photos need attention. da Pixabay Read the full article

[leximize]

Haiku, Senryū, Zappai: seventeen syllable poems

OK, leave it to the Japanese to have a name for the 17 syllable trash I’ve been writing. Haiku is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases composed of 17 phonetic units in a 5, 7, 5 pattern; that include a kireji, or “cutting word”; and a kigo, or seasonal reference. Senryū is a Japanese form of short poetry similar to haiku in…

[martycreatess]

Will it blend?

A few days ago when I was in London there were a lot of exhibitions about robots, AI, robots making objects, etc. I thought all of that is fitting both of my words.

I started off by thinking about the type. I thought it would be interesting if I generate a haiku:

Haiku is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a kireji, or "cutting word", 17 on in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, and a kigo, or seasonal reference. Similar poems that do not adhere to these rules are generally classified as senryū. 

My initial idea was to generate a haiku and then design it and use it as my type. I went on a haiku generator, and as prompts put both understand and industry as well as other words related to those ones.

The final poem is:

Relationship - A Haiku

by Industry

Depressing sundown

Help me with better input

watching the building

It was not making any sense. However, I was trying for ways to make it work as I didn't want to give up. I liked the idea of generation (AI) and then thinking of different ways to use them.

Instead of using the poem as my type asset I decide to translate it into Chinese (industry), record it, and then use it as my sound.

[idolthoughts]

コスプレをするクラリスさんとクラリスのコスプレをする堀裕子。 | kireji

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[bofxv2019pc]

(kireji)

[kageyuji]

Hi how are you ? do you have charanons or know someone that has ? its so cute seeing their interactions

ooh, @/hvnlydmn and @/hajimine have rlly cute ones !! also @/katsushimaa but yssa isn’t active much anymore :3

[jiskblr]

Peace and quiet here. SF sleeps. // They huddle, scared. Winter returns.

A haiku inspired by the leaves of Shanghai one from Cryptonomicon. 

[apatheticdoppleganger]

How weary am I

You would never believe it –

People are shitty