Haiku A to Z: M is for Mood, and Middle

photo courtesy of pixabay

"Haiku poems celebrate appreciation for beauty and nature. Plants, animals, water, weather, and seasons are often subjects of haiku. Powerful yet sensitive, these poems communicate a mood or tone without actually using words to describe feelings." --Kim Kautzer, Writing Haiku Poetry

We are smack-dab in the middle of the A-Z Challenge and, most appropriately, M is not only for mood, but for middle--being that the letter M is exactly in the middle of the alphabet and all!

And so we take a look at mood--the emotional effect that the poem creates for the reader. As Ms. Kautzer (above quote) continues to explain: "When writing haiku poetry, think about the emotions you want your reader to experience. Paint a picture with your words to express a mood." (A great resource for a list of "mood words" can be found here at English with Mr. Scott.)

At the same time, we are at the middle point of our challenge. What mood are we in here (ha)?

And so, for day thirteen haiku, I ask:

in the middle of

a challenge is your cup half

empty or half full?

--Kenda Turner

___________________________

Haiku A to Z: K is for Kigo, Kidai, and Key

full moon over backyard 2012

"Haiku's imagery and affective content are unique. Traditional haiku incorporates a kigo (season word) or a kidai (seasonal topic) including recurring human events usually connected to natural cycles...Almost always traditional haiku include a concrete image drawn from non-human nature. Therefore one could define haiku as human feeling connected with nature." --Bruce Ross

Haiku incorporates a kigo (season word) or kidai (seasonal topic). Or not.

Haiku has three lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables. Or not.

Haiku contains seventeen syllables. Or not.

For the longest time I was somewhat baffled over things I was reading about haiku; guidelines seemed contradictory. And then one day, something clicked. I found the key to my confusion.

Simply put, there's a difference between traditional Japanese haiku and later-developing English-language or Western haiku. The change began in the 1950s when poets of the more modern form embarked on paths that varied from the traditional.

The online literary publication Daily Haiku says this: "There is some debate as to the definition of haiku and its 'proper' form. The best and most concise definition seems to be: Haiku is a minimalist form of unrhymed poetry consisting of seventeen syllables or less. Traditional Japanese haiku carry an unrhymed, three line, 5-7-5 syllabic (beat) structure with a seasonal reference. Over the years, English Language haiku authors have transplanted the traditional Japanese structure into their own language with varying degrees of success...Contemporary English-language haiku artists have largely abandoned the 5-7-5 structure and tend to gravitate toward shorter syllabic counts more representative of the verbal length of Japanese counterparts."

Whew, once I came to ken (Scottish dialect for 'understand') the difference, I could relax--and enjoy the variations that come with the form. Both can be greatly appreciated!

A few sources that explain this concept in more depth include:
Becoming a Haiku Poet
Beyond the Haiku Moment
Forms in English Haiku
Japanese Poetry Patterns
How to Write a Haiku Poem
Understanding Modern English-Language Haiku

(And, adding to the conversation, I've come across these terms: desk haiku and pseudo-haiku. Loosely defined: haiku that uses any inspiration as a starting point (as opposed to writing haiku only from an 'ah-ha' moment). Thus explains the three-lined ditties that are fun and spontaneous, often entertaining and light-hearted. Jack Preluksky's If Not for the Cat comes to mind, a book of haiku that "asks you to think about seventeen favorite residents of the animal kingdom in a new way." So don't be intimidated by haiku--there's a form out there for just about everyone. And certainly don't kill the moment over fear of doing it right or wrong. The key is to enjoy writing!) 

Kicking around ideas again with Day Eleven Haiku:

katydids strum wing

strings, choir song crescendos...

lullaby brings sleep

--Kenda Turner

___________________________

Haiku A to Z: J is for Juxtaposition

spring day walk 2016

"Haiku juxtaposes seemingly unrelated observations in order to glimpse the hidden connections between things. It relies on mood and suggestiveness." --John Drury, Creating Poetry

.Juxtaposition (n): "the action of putting close together; place side-by-side."

This dictionary definition of juxtaposition is fine, as far as it goes. But one writer, speaking on the subject of haiku, takes the definition to a higher level. Michael Dylan Welch in his article Becoming a Haiku Poet speaks of juxtaposition in terms of a spark plug. I love the analogy:

"A haiku," Welch says, "also centers structurally on a pause or caesura ('kire' in Japanese). By juxtaposing two elements or parts (with one of the elements spanning over two of the poem's three lines), the two parts create a spark of energy, like the gap in a spark plug. The two elements of a good haiku may seem unrelated at first glance, but if the reader lingers on them sufficiently, he or she may notice a reverberation. When you realize the connection between the two parts (sometimes called an 'internal comparison'), you have a 'spark' of realization, an 'aha' moment. As a writer of haiku, it's your job to allow the poem to have that spark--and not spell it out for the reader. This is perhaps the most difficult thing to do with haiku, as well as its most important--yet often least understood--structural characteristic."

Juxtaposition equates to a spark plug? Now that's a way to express a concept in a visual way! I'm still processing but hope to incorporate the technique as I continue to learn.

Joining in with a Day Ten Haiku:

jumping children grab

grandpa's hand and pull to creek...

robin wrestles bait

--Kenda Turner

____________________________

Haiku A to Z: G is for Goals and Groups

on walk 2015

"Your goal (in haiku) is to paint a picture in the mind of your reader." --nursery-rhymes-fun

Oh, to paint a picture with words. Certainly that is the goal of all writing, but for haiku the goal carries its own set of challenges. You're writing a snippet, an impression, a glimpse--and in so few lines, words, syllables. But you're not alone! There are groups and gatherings with a passion for haiku around the world. One source (here) shows active groups throughout Europe, in New Zealand, Bangladesh, Croatia, and Sweden--as well as the home of haiku, Japan. You can also find haiku groups on Facebook and Twitter.  The haiku writer never needs to feel isolated. Websites are dedicated to haiku, as well as magazines, submission opportunities, and contests.

Speaking of contests, how about a haiku contest in honor of National Grammar Day? Ha, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a national grammar day (March 4 each year). And to celebrate, the American Copy Editors Society holds a yearly haiku contest on Twitter. Submissions are not in your traditional form, but great fun. Have you ever tried to write a haiku about a verb or about sentence fragments? Check out the 2016 winners at Grammar Girl's Winning Haiku.

So here we are, going forward with Day Seven Haiku:

goldfinches this morn

chirp joy tunes from fence row seats

sunny symphony

--Kenda Turner

_____________________________

Haiku A to Z: F is for Feeling

backyard discovery 2014

"Does your poem give readers a feeling? It can do this by presenting what caused your feeling rather than the feeling itself. So others can feel what you felt, don't explain or judge what you describe." --Michael Dylan Welch, Haiku Checklist

Haiku is a great medium for sharing the feeling of a moment. A moment is just that, a moment--fast, fleeting, fading. You don't have time to explain. You don't want to explain. You simply want to invite the reader into a fresh, flowing moment--with freedom to feel it their way.

A hard concept to capture, but worth trying. That's where the fun comes in!

Having fun with my Day Six Haiku:

flickering sunlight

partners with trees--dance breaks out

in silver shadows

--Kenda Turner

_________________________

Haiku A to Z: E is for Essence

on road home 2015

"The essence of haiku is the way it describes natural phenomena in the fewest number of words, making an indelible impression on the reader." --Bruce Lansky

The word essence, from the Latin essentia (esse to be) has a number of different meanings, depending on how the word is used:
1. "the basic, real, and invariable nature of a thing"
2. "a substance obtained from a plant, drug or the like, by distillation, infusion, etc. and containing its characteristic properties in concentrated form"
3. "an alcoholic solution of an essential oil, spirit"
4. "a perfume, scent"
5. "something that exists, especially a spiritual or immaterial entity" (source: dictionary.com) 

I suggest that the "essence" of haiku takes on each of these meanings in its own way. Yes, the essence of haiku, as in Lansky's definition above, is in the way it describes natural phenomena in the fewest number of words, hence: definition #1, the basic nature of the thing.

Haiku is also a distillation (definition #2): the poet's thoughts distilled into an image or a moment and containing properties of observation in concentrated form.

Haiku, though not alcoholic (but maybe addictive?) and not liquid, also consists of essential oils (definition #3)--or, in this case, we might say 'qualities.' These might include, but are not limited to, a quietness, calmness, insight, or surprising lift.

Haiku, because of its emphasis on engaging the five senses, often carries a mental "perfume," especially when a reference calls to mind an association to a seasonal scent (definition #4).

And haiku, in its existence (definition #5), often speaks of spiritual things, hence it can be said to contain 'heart'--a spiritual entity.

Essence: nature, substance distilled, spirit, scent, heart. Who would have thought haiku could take us to all of these places. At the same time it can be said that the essence of haiku can be elusive--the poet has her work cut out for her.

Of course, none of this discussion touches on other e-words of the day: experience, emotion, editing, experimentation, exercise, engagement of the right side of the brain, encapsulating the feeling of a scene, evoking. So many things to touch on, so little time!

All of this being said, I extend to you my Day Five Haiku:

evening clouds sweep the

sky and cool daytime's fire...

ashes bank embers

--Kenda Turner

____________________________

Haiku A to Z: C is for Capture

moment in time 2012

"Haiku captures a moment in time, revealing a surprise or evoking a response of aha! or ahhh. This pounce helps the reader awaken and experience the ordinary in an extraordinary way." --Lee Wardlaw

"Captures a moment in time": this is one aspect of haiku that draws me to the form. Catching a moment, an image, in words that in turn offers an invitation to linger over and savor the moment again. Wardlaw says it is to experience the ordinary in an extraordinary way. It's also seeing something seemingly common in an uncommon way, to make a forgettable moment an indelible one, to slow a hectic pace to a pause that encourages wonder.

I didn't realize this when I first started writing haiku. I thought I was simply adhering to a pattern of syllables. Boy, was I wrong. There's a whole world out there that haiku invites one into. I'm captivated!

And so I offer my Day Three Haiku:

cardinal swoops in

to paint red feather strokes on

evergreen canvas
--Kenda Turner

____________________________

Haiku A to Z: B is for Basho

photo by Kenda 2013

"Haiku are based on the five senses. They are about things you can experience, not your interpretation or analysis of those things. To do this effectively, it is good to rely on sensory description, and to use mostly objective rather than subjective words." --Write-a-Haiku-Poem

A name often associated with haiku is Matsuo Basho, 17th century Japanese haiku master. "Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. During his lifetime, Basho was recognized for his works in the collaborative haikai no renga form; today, after centuries of commentary, he is recognized as the greatest master of haiku (then called hokku). Basho's poetry is internationally renowned; and, in Japan, many of his poems are reproduced on monuments and traditional sites...Basho was introduced to poetry young, and after integrating himself into the intellectual scene of Edo (modern Tokyo) he quickly became well known throughout Japan. He made a living as a teacher; but then renounced the social, urban life of the literary circles and was inclined to wander throughout the country, heading west, east, and far into the northern wilderness to gain inspiration for his writing. His poems were influenced by his firsthand experience of the world around him, often encapsulating the feeling of a scene in a few simple elements." --wikipedia

One of Basho's most famous haiku, translated by Harry Behn:

An old silent pond...

A frog jumps into the pond.

Splash! Silence again. 

Still a student with much yet to learn, I offer Day Two Haiku:

bejeweled butterflies

glitter and shimmer in flight

across field's new gown

                                                                                        --Kenda Turner

_____________________________

Haiku A to Z: A is for Ancient

one of my photos on a spring walk 2015

“Haiku is an ancient form of Japanese poetry often containing (in English) a total of 17 syllables shared between three lines, arranged in a pattern of 5-7-5. It is important to note that the original Japanese haiku was measured in sounds, or ‘breaths,’ not English syllables. The 5-7-5 approach was a rough approximation.” –haiku-poetry.org

The A to Z Challenge has begun! 

Day One Haiku:

April redbuds bloom

on the heels of winter boots

and dance to bluebells

                                                                                                              --Kenda Turner                                

___________