While I was checking out Haigaonline for my next submission, I came across three resources where you can find a season word list. These sites are actually suggested for the next haiga challenge, but these might prove helpful in writing your haiku.
The World Haiku Club's World Kigo Database
"The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words" at Renku Home
Yuki Teikei Haiku Society
A Dictionary of Haiku by Jane Reichhold might also be useful to you. She has arranged a list of poems, not alphabetically, but by seasons. By checking this out, you can find out what words or phrases correspond to a certain season.
By the way, Haigaonline is now accepting only one haiga from each contributor. Luckily, the editor informed me that she was pleased to include one of my haiga for their next issue. The haiga is another collaborative effort with my brother, Perry. In June, I'll be posting it for sure. :-)
Showing posts with label guidelines on writing haiku. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guidelines on writing haiku. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Usage of Season Words
Have you read any haiku that sounds artificial because of the unnecessary use of a season word? Or have you pinpoint a seasonal word or phrase that only applies to Japanese culture?
Read Michael Dylan Welch's essay, Up With Season Words, and you'll be able to understand how Japan kigo are relevant in English-language haiku. You'll also discover how you can adapt the concept and principles of seasons words in English.
According to him, season words do often improve the haiku, but aren't necessary. The three poems, which he illustrates in his essay, show his approach to season words.
When you decide to use season words to add depth to your haiku, always remember to carefully use them as "an anchor or 'setting' in time- like a gold ring that cradles a diamond." Read another of his essay here and you'll learn more about how to use seasonal reference effectively and avoid the common mistake of creating "weather report" haiku.
Read Michael Dylan Welch's essay, Up With Season Words, and you'll be able to understand how Japan kigo are relevant in English-language haiku. You'll also discover how you can adapt the concept and principles of seasons words in English.
According to him, season words do often improve the haiku, but aren't necessary. The three poems, which he illustrates in his essay, show his approach to season words.
When you decide to use season words to add depth to your haiku, always remember to carefully use them as "an anchor or 'setting' in time- like a gold ring that cradles a diamond." Read another of his essay here and you'll learn more about how to use seasonal reference effectively and avoid the common mistake of creating "weather report" haiku.
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Worldess Poem
I'm reading again the book "The Haiku Anthology" by Cor van den Huevel. I came across some lines which I want to share.
When I first read Alan Watts's characterization of haiku as "the wordless poem," I thought it was because a haiku had so few words, but now I believe it goes deeper than that (whether Watts intended it or not). Haiku, for the reader, is wordless because those few words are invisible. We as readers look right through them. There is nothing between us and the moment.
To achieve this goal, certain literary practices common to traditional western poetry are usually avoided by American haiku poets. Such devices as figures of speech or rhymes are rarely employed, for these tend to take away from the thing as it is. The haiku should take us right to the moment and present us with the tree or a leaf, the spring rain or the autumn wind, a rose in a garden or a rusty pick-up under the pines, just as they are-- no more, no less. The phrasing and choice of words provide the music of a haiku, which must be short as a birdsong. Meter is rarely employed. When it is, it is used to create a musical flow that is unobtrusive.
Ending this section of the book, Forward to the Third Edition, he writes, "I hope you'll agree that living in the haiku moment is a poetic experience of the highest order."
I definitely agree!
When I first read Alan Watts's characterization of haiku as "the wordless poem," I thought it was because a haiku had so few words, but now I believe it goes deeper than that (whether Watts intended it or not). Haiku, for the reader, is wordless because those few words are invisible. We as readers look right through them. There is nothing between us and the moment.
To achieve this goal, certain literary practices common to traditional western poetry are usually avoided by American haiku poets. Such devices as figures of speech or rhymes are rarely employed, for these tend to take away from the thing as it is. The haiku should take us right to the moment and present us with the tree or a leaf, the spring rain or the autumn wind, a rose in a garden or a rusty pick-up under the pines, just as they are-- no more, no less. The phrasing and choice of words provide the music of a haiku, which must be short as a birdsong. Meter is rarely employed. When it is, it is used to create a musical flow that is unobtrusive.
Ending this section of the book, Forward to the Third Edition, he writes, "I hope you'll agree that living in the haiku moment is a poetic experience of the highest order."
I definitely agree!
Friday, February 3, 2012
The Basics of Haiku
Not all of my friends who check my blog know how to write a haiku. Some don’t even know what haiku means. So to acquaint them or readers who happen to drop by and want to learn more, I’ve made a list of links. This is also a very helpful guide for haiku poets who want to improve their skills.
1) Definition of haiku
http://sites.google.com/site/graceguts/essays/a-definition-of-haiku
http://www.withwords.co.uk/what.html
2) Brief history of haiku
http://www.withwords.org.uk/history.html
3) Guidelines on writing haiku
Bare Bones School of Haiku by Jane Reichhold
http://www.ahapoetry.com/Bare%20Bones/bbtoc%20intro.html
Becoming a Poet by Michael Dylan Welch Haiku
http://sites.google.com/site/graceguts/essays/becoming-a-haiku-poet
1) Definition of haiku
http://sites.google.com/site/graceguts/essays/a-definition-of-haiku
http://www.withwords.co.uk/what.html
2) Brief history of haiku
http://www.withwords.org.uk/history.html
3) Guidelines on writing haiku
Bare Bones School of Haiku by Jane Reichhold
http://www.ahapoetry.com/Bare%20Bones/bbtoc%20intro.html
Becoming a Poet by Michael Dylan Welch Haiku
http://sites.google.com/site/graceguts/essays/becoming-a-haiku-poet
Haiku . . . Under the Bedsheets: Juxtaposition and Seasonal Reference by Michael Dylan Welch
4) Haiku Techniques
Haiku Techniques by Jane Reichhold
How to Ginko by Tad Wojnicki
These links have helped me a lot and I still review them from time to time. I hope by collecting these links, one will be interested in writing haiku. If not, it will be great if a haiku beginner will be able to learn more from this list.
If any of the links has proven useful to you, please let me know. :-)
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