Literature and Poetry Reviews, Home of the Virtual Poetry Circle
Haiku are short form poetry originally from Japan. The poems contain three phrases that contain a kireji, or “cutting word”, 17 syllables in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, and a kigo, or seasonal reference. Basho is one of the most famous of the haiku writers.
Here’s today’s poem generator for haiku.
Check out what the generator came up with for me:
Jovian, largest discovery of the moons the electric lights
I hope these Friday activities are enjoyable.
Haiku is one of those poetic forms that many teachers use to teach kids about rhythm and cadence. The form requires a first line of five syllables, a second line of seven syllables, and a third line of five syllables in its simplest form. There are other aspects of the haiku that bring the short poem a certain level of unexpected nuance, like its juxtaposition between two images — one appearing at the start of the poem and one at the end.
I want to share one of my haiku that was published in LYNX:
white skin, concrete head red nose chilled with wind stubborn, glued to you.
Let’s create some haiku! Share what poem you created in the comments.
I don’t talk much about my poetry writing on the blog, but I do post occasionally on Facebook about when I submit poems to magazines and contests and when I receive rejections. I don’t let those rejections get me down … not too much.
I save the acceptances for the blog! I love to announce what magazines have accepted my work, and I’m doubly happy that my urban haiku are beginning to find homes. I’m not a traditional haiku writer. I’ve known this for a long time. Like a modern woman, my subjects are bit more familiar to urbanites.
Hope you’ll check out the great poems at Better Than Starbucks! I’m in the November issue (2nd column, midway down).
Thanks to Kevin McLaughlin for seeing merit in my little haiku.
This month, The New York Times put out a call for Haiku about the city. With a deadline on April 5, 2014, I had little time to waste. I haven’t written haiku in a long while, but I do love the little form.
The criteria for the NYC haiku was:
Your haiku must relate to one of six categories relating to New York City. Those topics are:
Island
Strangers
Solitude
Commute
6 a.m.
KindnessYou don’t have to include the word, just let the topic inspire you, and relate it to your experience of New York City.
For those who may have forgotten the rules of writing a haiku, here’s a quick 101 guide:
• Only three lines.
• First line must be five syllables.
• Second line must be seven syllables.
• The third line must be five syllables.
• Punctuation and capitalization are up to you.
• It doesn’t have to rhyme.
• It must be original.
The did leave out the part that Haiku generally has something to do with nature or the seasons, but I won’t hold that against them.
Here is what I came up with, but I only submitted three:
Amtrak thumps rails north
anxious heart, loud silence here.
clammy hand held down.
St. Paul camouflaged
in Spring’s green, shadowed by steel
fulcrum: past, future
Central oasis
spring fever fields full out
below Essex, free
“Imagine,” he said.
blooms, friends — city wonderland
diverse harmony.
Maze of rat tunnels
rumbles on rails, sardines tight.
Jump inside, smiling.
What would your haiku be about NYC or your own location?
This is part of the 2014 National Poetry Month: Reach for the Horizon Blog Tour, click the button for more poetry:
