Haiku Kachu? You may think I'm Koo Koo -- especially fans of the Beatles, but let's avoid the terrors of free association and press on as we revisit and update a topic from times gone bye ...
Japan's True Haiku: Poetry where construct shapes the content ... rhymes -- and sometimes reason -- are seemingly optional ... it's all about creativity within the confines of compliance with the construct. 3 lines. 5 syllables in the first, 7 in the second, 5 in the third. A glimmer of connection between them and overflowing with visual imagery.
JB's Conversational Haiku: As a writer, I've always been more comfortable with constructs when I've had the chance to shape the construct in question ... so, I now announce that my "conversational haikus" are articulate art, not nuggets of non-compliance. My conversational haikus forsake pure visual imagery per se, for the playful verbal imagery of creative banter ... (And yes, Ms. Cousino, I am now old enough to have my own style ... ;-)
A daily haiku contest put forth by the literary scholars at USA Today (literally, that fine bastion of poetic journalism) prompted me to revisit haikuing ... typically, I'm amused by rhyme and longer works ... droning on to the exhaustion of my own amusement with my toes or whatever, but I figured I'd play with Haikus a bit ... not that I'm competitive ...
I found that , like life itself, haikus are great fun if not taken tooooo seriously. Delayed in an airport? Waiting in line? Trapped in a meeting? Bored out of your skull? Write Haikus. Poetry surrounds you -- just jam it into the Haiku format. Yes, you too can haiku.
Haiku Writing Warning Label: Whispering "what's a two-syllable synonym for monotonous" to the person next to you in a meeting may expose your distraction. Let's be subtle out there -- and stay both amused and employed!
Structure
The Haiku template
first five, then seven, and five ...
that's all that's aloud.
The Call
Excitement, Mainly.
Ears await the ringing news.
An-tic-i-pa-tion ...
Spam-aliciousness
Grilled to perfection,
Imitation Beef-Like Treat --
Salty Succulence!
Macro Photo
Made larger than life,
Rich detail astounds the eye ...
Overlooked no more.
Wart
Horrid dermal blight ...
Scaley, cracked and putrid burr --
Toads' curse upon man.
Pop Tarts
Sweet, colorful frost ...
fruit-like filling foiled delight ...
Morning's fire hazard.
Advil, Please, Miss White
Achey and Stuffy
and five other sinus dwarfs
mining in my mind.
Belly Button Lint
Blue fuzzy build-up,
Where you come from? Why you here?
How you get in there?
Scabs
Dark, crusty medals!
Like your nose, meant to be picked --
the great ones ooze pus!
Gratification
Now, then, or later
Noble efforts are rewarded
T'is true, life works out.
C'mere, Kitty
Fur-cloaked indignence!
Cats answer only to God --
not to their humans.
Same Old Same Old
Like a mental rash
Monotony chaffes my brain
The urge to scratch calls
Monday, Monday
Like Cinderella,
Misjudged by those who scorn her,
A princess of days.
