Do you know the definition of synesthesia? I've heard this question twice ever since it was announced that the prompt for the Svetlana Marisova Memorial Kukai was synesthesia in oneness of all things. I guess not everybody has heard about it. To answer the question of a dear friend of mine, I cited a haiku that I wrote last year.
floating on water
the scent of magnolia
summer breeze
According to Chen-ou Liu, this is an effective use of synesthesia. Honestly, it came as a surprise to me as I wasn't even aware that I was using a certain technique or device in my haiku writing. I had to look it up in the internet so I could comprehend what he was talking about.
For the second person, who posted her inquiry on Free Haiga, I took the liberty of researching for her. Here was the article that I found - Thoughts on Juxtaposition . Ed Bremson also jumped in to help her by giving this site - Sensing Tanka: Perceiving Life Beyond the Ordinary
If you want to read more about synesthesia, here are some interesting articles.
Thank you for all the links on synesthesia here, Chrissi. I think at one time or another we've been using it without even knowing that we did. And, I didn't even know the meaning of synesthesia until Svetlana's memorial kukai.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Asni! I'd like to share whatever I find to those who are willing to learn.
Deletere juxtaposition, that's a good article by my fellow former Haijinx editor, whom I was lucky enough to meet in Kamakura, then stay with Kris Kondo, before moving off to Tokyo. :-)
ReplyDeletere Svetlana, there are many links to her work at her website, including this one:
http://marisova.com/articles-about-svetlana/suggestion-in-haiku-as-seen-through-the-work-of-svetlana-marisova/
Synesthesia is a useful technique for haiku, whether we directly experience, or when we are in the zone.
Congratualations on your haiku again, it's a beaut!
Alan, With Words
Yes, it is a very good article, Alan. I plan to read it again thoroughly. You are indeed very fortunate to be able to meet and converse with people who share the same interests with you. :-)
DeleteThanks for sharing the link. I'll definitely check that out!
It's an honor that you find my haiku a beauty. Thanks, once again! :-)
Thank you for the links, Chrissi! I am having a lot of trouble understanding this term. Like Asni, I too came to know of it only through the kukai. Isn't it great to know that you have been using this technique even without knowing it! Wow! To be very honest, from my understanding of this term through google, I found it very difficult to 'see' the phenomenon in the submitted haiku. That just goes to say that I am not seeing the right way! sigh!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Jayashree. It will sink in I guess at the right time. Study the examples. One day without you knowing it, you'll be writing your own. It will just flow naturally.
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