Haiku String

summer brings rainstorms
cobwebs hang on stems of plants
a change in mood

thunder rolled across the sky
night was noisy day is blue
breathing was hard to do

scent of blooms linger still
fading with the lower sun
sadness is now a friend

No sign of autumn yet
a change to rain after heat
where do I find myself

honeysuckle sweet is fresh
perfuming my pathway
stillness is a way to wisdom

How to write a Haiku…

I am not that much of a purist with poetry. But I get a bit of a sinking feeling when I see a three line ‘poem’ with seventeen syllables and capital letters on each line.

In Japan, a Haiku is almost like a prayer, such reverence they have for the form. However, in most poets views, the seventeen syllables are not as important as the content of the lines, which are not capitalised. So,

blossom on the tree is bright
the breeze chases petals
my thoughts are scattered

is a Haiku. Each line is stands alone. The first two are poetic, the third is a thought.
So let’s do another,

stormy waves break on the shore
sand is swirled in patterns
arms embrace me

The pattern is clear. Two lines of throw away poetry, and one of a thought. The thought often is in contradiction to the first two lines.

Haiku are always about nature. If you write one about people, cars, streets, planes etc, it’s called a Senryu.

I hope this is helpful.

Recovering and happy…

Yesterday, I went with friends who are also poets, to read in the next county. We drove through the New Forest, which I hadn’t seen for a while. It was very beautiful despite being winter, and it’s lovely to see the ponies grazing. My friend, who was driving, bemoaned the lack of a bypass around a certain town, but really less traffic is needed by improving public transport.

I had forgotten how far one had to walk from the nearest car drop off to the entrance. Then I rested on chair, before climbing the stairs.

The venue is a listed house in Romsey. It is a museum, run by a charity. Because it is listed, meaning it is of historic value, it cannot be altered. Further, there is now an entrance fee of £7.50 per person, which includes tea and cake.

This does not sit well with me. Other venues I read at are pubs which have a room or let you take over the whole space. So one buys one refreshments and everybody is happy. In my local poetry group, I buy a drink for £3.

Also, Romsey is in the afternoon. That presents logistical problems of different sorts for different people. It doesn’t bother me, except that it takes up all my day because I spend almost two hours travelling to my friends.

Anyhow, arriving at my friends, I was asked what time my bus home would be. I was taken aback. I had not even thought about my return journey. Andit turned out that being Sunday, the last bus back would be a 4.20. We would still be in Romsey.

My friends lifted my trolley into their camper van, and said they would drop me at the outskirts of my conurbation. This was kind of them.

I really enjoyed the poetry shared by other poets there, apart from one poem, which was dense and required a lot of concentration. One lady read poetry that was so funny. She is Irish and knows many of the places I know.

Someone read a Haiku string. But they weren’t Haiku and it wasn’t a string. It was three line stanzas. I did not say anything. I am weary of teaching Haiku.

My friends ended up driving me all the way home, which I didn’t realise until we were at a certain junction. I was very grateful, but feel I can’t ask to travel with them again.

The element I mentioned yesterday, that is lacking from a vegan’s diet, is iodine. I remembered in the night, as one does. Borden’s Blather provided a link in comments on my last post. Thank you Jim.

So, today, I have needed rest as I’ve ached a bit. But as my poetry was well received, and I heard some wonderful poems read, I am happy.