English Haiku 2

As you can probably imagine, I tend to write several haiku at one time, given their brevity. So I've also decided to post several at a time. Each of them are stand alone works for now, that is to say they were not written with a particular sequence in mind, and so are not presented as such here. In fact, the haiku I post together here were not always written in the same session. But all were written since I began this renewed interest in poetry. Here are some more:


Sunshine in April
Melting residual snow.
Almost warm enough.

*

A hawk on a limb
Head hardly ever moving
Still sees what it needs.

*

Distant thunderstorm.
Small herd of cattle cloistered.
Pain in old mens' knees.

*

Neighboring meadow
Home to many fireflies.
Starry nights concede.

*

Fire in my hearth.
Shadows on friendly faces.
The presence of God.

*

Misty forest path.
A wild turkey crosses.
My steps are profane.

*

Eye to eye with deer.
Close enough to hear them snort.
They do me honor.

English Haiku 1

The term “English Haiku” is quite a misnomer. The traditional Japanese short-form poetry really doesn’t have an English equal that can replicate its brevity and simplicity of language, because of the difference between syllables and word order in Japanese and English. So over the ages, poets have done the best they can to come up with a rough equivalent for the English language.

Probably the most well-known of these attempts is the three-line, 17-syllable structure, or the 5-7-5 structure, wherein there is no rhyming. Furthermore, the piece should reflect a moment in nature and, in the best case scenario, indicate the season in which is takes place.

English haiku have taken on different forms in recent years. The trend, as it is for most of poetry these days, is leading towards less structure. I may explore those types of English haiku in the future, but for my most recent writing sessions, I have stuck to the “traditional” English haiku of 5-7-5. I’ve also done my best to keep the emphasis on nature and the truth it sometimes reveals to the observer.

With that in mind, here are some of my most recent:

Frigid river runs.

Surrounding snow insulates.

It can still be heard.

*

Smell of coming snow.

A wind louder than the waves.

It is still the beach.

*

Sweltering midnight.

Steam from a recent down pour. 

The goddesses make love.

*

Light snow in April

Melted away by lunchtime.

Yes, I remember.

*

Strong wind in July.

The putrid heat is moving.

I do not say much.

Welcome.

As I mentioned a few days ago on my main website, TyUnglebower.com, I have recently gotten back into writing poetry. This blog will be, as you can tell, a place for me to share what I come up with.

For now, most of what I plan to write will be form poetry with structured patterns. This will allow me to play with language, and set specific goals. But if the mood strikes me, I will also post some free form stuff as well.

To begin with, I will probably concentrate on one particular form for a while, and post some of the results of that exploration here. In time, the postings may be more random.

I’m not setting a specific schedule for posting of the next poem or group of poems. One of the points of my getting back into poetry after a long absence is to be easy on obligation, and high on creativity. I’ll attempt to follow the rules of certain poetry forms, as I said, but other than that, I want my poetry, and this site dedicated to it, to be a low-stress affair.

So subscribe or check back often. You never know when I will post the next poem. (Well, this time you will know, since I’m telling you I will be posting the first selections later today, so look for it.)

Thanks for stopping by.