What is a haiku/ haiku challenge

 I challenge you to write either a comment or make your own post. 

If you follow me I will not miss your post !

The traditional Japanese Haiku contains 17 syllables in 3 lines.

Usually a kigo or season word from nature is used.  A great haiku will share some kind of insight or revelation. Here are two examples from The essential Haiku by Robert Hass:  

Autumn moon- 

a small boat 

drifting down the tide.   

Pissing in the snow

outside my door- 

it makes a very straight hole  

                                           Issa   

To my understanding a contemporary haiku in English is a short 3 lined poem. Because the English

language is so different from the Japanese with much longer syllables, 17 syllables is not required.  

 A fine contemporary  Haiku will: 

Have a reference to the season 

Try to capture a moment in time

Create the feeling of connection to nature

Capture a glimpse of insight or revelation   

 Here are two fine examples from Haiku Mind by Patricia Donegan  

 on the patio

 the afternoon drifts along 

with the butterfly 

                                 Patricia J. Machmiller  

shorter kisses 

longer quarrels

 winter solstice  

                                Eric Amann  

 Original haiku and illustration by Lakshmi: 

laying in my bed

leaves fall outside my window 

my cat wants in  

                                Lakshmi 

Here are some links for further reading about haiku: 

http://www.thehaikufoundation.org/edwall/higginson_guidelines_for_writing_haiku.pdf

 

http://www.scribophile.com/academy/an-introduction-to-advanced-haiku.pdfhttp://www.modernhaiku.org/