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The Joy of Haiku
By: Edward A Weiss
Just 3 lines are all it takes to be transported to a world of beauty and delight. No other poem can do this but the haiku! The joy of haiku comes from the fact that in just a few seconds, we can be taken away to where the poet has envisioned.
The first part of haiku poetry usually includes a fragment to set the scene or mood. Then the poem is finished with a descriptive phrase. But what is it about this poetry that moves us? It's the juxtaposition between fragment and phrase that creates the poetic effect.
For example, if we take a fragment like "spring morning," this in and of itself really doesn't do much for us. But, if we add a descriptive phrase like a "jay stretches its wings" we have a picture - an image that puts us in the scene. The haiku poet isn't telling us about the jay or using metaphor or analogy. Instead, you are right there in the scene. Now you can use your imagination and delight yourself as you picture the scene.
spring morning --
a jay
stretches its wings
You'll notice that the poem is now in what is commonly referred to as haiku form - 3 lines containing a fragment and a phrase. Most modern haiku poetry does not adhere to the 5-7-5 syllable rule. Instead, poets use fragment and phrase to generate living poems. The joy of haiku is that it can quickly take you away into a picture of nature.
Edward A. Weiss is a poet, author, and publisher of Wisteria Press. He has been helping students learn how to write haiku for many years and has just released his first book "Seashore Haiku!" Get 2 FREE haiku poems in your inbox every Monday! Sign up for our free newsletter the Wisteria Gazette! Visit http://wisteriapress.com |  |