Poetry
This week: Edited by: Kate - Writing & Reading More Newsletters By This Editor
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Greetings, I am honored this week to be the guest editor this week of your Poetry Newsletter
Do not follow in the footsteps of the old masters, but seek what they sought."
Basho (1644-94)
In the art and dance of poetry, technique, form, meter, style, words are not copied to arrive at a solution; instead, the poet observes and partakes of the moment with all five or six of his/her senses and, with the tools of inspiration and wordsmithy, conveys them to pen and paper, or mouse to laptop to experience again and to allow others to partake of the moment. Yes, rather verbose , but I'm working on it.
And how? By observing a moment in nature, being there, and committing what I see, hear, taste, sense, to pencil and paper in a few short lines. Yes, Haiku.
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Haiku vs. Senryu ~ What's the difference anyway?
Haiku is a Japanese poetic form recording the essence of a moment in time, combining nature with human nature.
It's only a couple hundred years old, but derives from the Tanka, which was used in Japan during the 9th through 12th centuries as court poetry, sometimes comedic, and as a way to thank a date for a nice time. The first three lines (the 'hokku' - see the later connection?) expressed the essence of the moment, and the last two summed it up.
The hokku was perfected by Basho (the pseudonym of Matsuo Munefusa (1644-1694)), cited as the 'father of haiku' when he refined its use to the muse's discourse with nature it has remained through today. It was originally written in a string of 17 on or kana, which are sound units each with a meaning of its own, most commonly in three lines of 5, 7, and 5 kana.
Here's one of Basho's best known hokku. Note that it does not conform to our syllabic count, but the Japanese kana 5-7-5. Can't you just see and hear both the images?
old pond
a frog leaps in
the sound of water
There is no direct correlation in English or other western tongues for kana, so as poetic forms are wont to do, western writers adapted it to a syllable count. The western form of Haiku, therefore, is written three unrhymed lines consisting of 17 syllables (5, 7, 5) or less, as each syllable does not necessarily have a meaning of its own.
Haiku is more related to the sense of the moment than the syllable count. Although you will find some haiku written in three lines of 4, 6, 4 syllables, or 3, 5, 3 syllables, and others, I’ll run with the more commonly known western version here. Once a muse poetic is comfortable with the basics of the haiku form, of course, perhaps try the other versions while maintaining the essence of the form that is haiku.
Some of the conventions (I hesitate saying 'rules') of haiku.
Haiku is generally written in two parts, not one run-on sentence. There’s a fragment normally in the first or last line, then the body of the haiku. Consider the first or last line as the setting, then a defining subject or action in two lines.
Haiku is written in the moment; in present tense, with three lines short, long, short. Avoid fleshing out the lines with pronouns, adverbs and adjectives.
i.e., instead of “the leaf fell slowly” – how about “green leaf floats to earth”
Haiku includes some element of nature. Haiku normally has a season word kigo to set the image. Although it’s not required in western haiku, it is a focal part of the Japanese tradition to have one; and nature appears somewhere in the image visual, aural, sensual.
You don't need to say 'spring' or 'summer' but use a word that evokes the season. For example, think spring with animals - tadpoles, butterflies, frogs, ducks, robins; with plants - azalea, apple blossoms, crocuses; weather - melting snow, warm shower.
Haiku is not egocentric; does not use personification, simile, metaphor, but simply states the essence of the moment, without value judgment or personal interpretation. The reader is given a snapshot of life through the eyes of the poet.
Punctuation is rarely, if ever used, as is capitalization. Keep it simple, straightforward, and sharp.
Haiku often includes juxtaposition, placing two images side by side. For example, the first and second line complete each other; the first and third line complete each other, both making sense on their own and conveying two different images. This often works with the nouns which can have meaning also as verbs.
Senryu, on the other hand, is a poem with a structure like haiku, with the western version bearing the short, long, short unrhymed syllable count (5, 7, 5). What distinguishes senryu is that it is more concerned with human nature. I think it can be slightly more interpretive in tone.
The structure for a senryu is commonly seen as depicting the setting on one line, and the subject and action on two lines. Its difference from the haiku is in the tone. Senryu is more reflective of human nature, satire, politics, often mocking or making fun of things or people.
Senryu does not include a season word, as it deals with observation of human nature.
Senryu is usually written in the present tense and references some aspect of human nature or human emotion – but still a snapshot in the moment.
Many poets combine the two forms above and call them haiku, but as wordsmiths, I think it’s fun to understand and use the difference in our snapshots of life through a poet’s eye.
My thanks to the following:
gigergal ~ who introduced me to this insightful method of seeing with a poet's eye.
And to:
Writing and Enjoying Haiku - a Hands-on Guide, by Jane Reichhold
http://www.haikusociety.com
http://www.shadowpoetry.com
http://www.cranberrydesigns.com/poetry/haiku/history.htm
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I know you will enjoy reading the following snapshots or both nature and life in the haiku and senryu offered by some of our members, with a Tanka or two for good measure.
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Now, ready to try your hand at capturing a moment in nature and sharing, check out these challenges ~ there's still time to enter, and always great reading
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If your Muse Creative likes to practice (and bend) the 'rules,' of creative poetic expression, check out the following ~ I enjoyed my time there immensely last fall.
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter! https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Thank you for welcoming me into your virtual home. Although I'm an honored guest host, I do have a few replies to share from a previous newsletter ~ check out the portfolios of these fellow poets ~ you will find writing to delight and incite.
Until we next meet,
Keep Writing!
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading
Submitted By: TerJa
Thank you for a good essay. Too many aspring poets don't want to bother with meter and rhyme. They just write prose and give it an odd spacing while often leaving out any puntuation. You have to know the rules before you can break the rules.
Yes, there's no fun in breaking them if you don't know what you're breaking?
Submitted By: Bronx Bishop bronxbishop
Every so often one comes upon an item or happenstance that seems tailor made for the moment. When this happens, you hear someone say “ Wow! This couldn’t have happened at a better time.” Well, The Poetry Newsletter received on 3/12/2008 and host by Wistful Rune arrived today and “Wow! This couldn’t have arrived at a better time.” The information contained within was not only timely; it was well presented and appealing. Color me educated. Thanks Kate! Well done!
Thank you for reading, and your encouragement! Keep Writing!
Submitted By: Nizza
I love how you have emphasized the imprtance of reading poetry out loud in this issue. I have recently learned the importance of this since my poetry is mostly written TO be read outloud, and it is obvious in most reviews I receive that the reader only read the poem silently. Poems tend to take an entirley different form when read outloud, and suddenly the most mundane of writings become alive. I read almost everything out loud, simply because I beleive words are ment to be spoken - not just read.
-Nizza
Yes, I agree, reading aloud the poem comes to life, changes somehow when read aloud. Keep Writing!
Submitted By: Maria Mize Maria Mize
I gleaned a lot from your newsletter. Thank you.
Thank you for reading; I appreciate your encouragement.
Submitted By: SHEA SHEA
GREAT Newsletter! Thanks very much for sharing some super information helping me polish my own poetry.
Glad you enjoyed the journey! May the Muse Creative wax poetic!
Submitted By: aphughes
Thank you so much! this was very hopeful, as most of the writings I have Written are poems. haha. thanks!
Yes, where there is life, there is hope ~ poetry is a snapshot of life, so...
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