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The Disjunctive Dragonfly: Haiku Techniques (very technical)

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Check List of Topics and Materials

Seasons USA Sajiki- USA Haiku by Seasons by Jane Reichhold

Seasons USA Sajiki- USA Haiku by Seasons Edited Made Obvious

The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words

Seasons- Yuki Teikei Kiyose- Topics by Seasons (renga)

John E Carley Shisan – the Anatomy of a Renku Sequence

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Jane Reichhold Resource and Submission Site
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NATURE, SEASONAL AND PLUS RESOURCE LINKS

The Seven Wonders- Natural, Ancient, Modern Worlds

The Seven Natural Wonders Of The World

Classic Western Style Poems

Classics at the Online Literature Library

Collective Terms for Animals and their Young

Constellations Mythology

Dictionary.com

Thesaurus.com

Encyclopedic Online References

Moon Phase Names wiki

Moon Phase Names Farmers

Moon Names wiki

Moon Names And Their Meanings farmers

Glossary Of Haiku Literary Terms

Meteor Showers Farmers Almanac

Nature Field Guide by Regions in USA

Google Online Search Engine...

Rhyme Search Engine

USA Eastern and Central Tree Identification

USA Western Tree Identification

Winds Local List

Zodiac Constellations (plus) N. Hem. "Constellations (by month)"

Winter Prairie Insects

Field Cricket

There is much debate as to what is haiku, most of which is due to the divergent Western style from the Japanese style and the confusion of which style is being defined. But for a few exceptions (muki), JAPANESE haiku have kigo. The Japanese culture has a much greater affinity and emphasis on the seasons than the West does. The West's general population had interpreted Japanese haiku translated to English as poems about nature in general instead of about seasons in specific. Being that many Japanese kigo are too subtle for the West's appreciation, Western readings of JAPANESE haiku usually missed the seasonal association. So WESTERN haiku are free form in that they don't require kigo and although the WESTERN haiku were once required to be about nature instead (which often had kigo but only incidentally) they don't anymore and now the focus is placed on the topics being chaste. Also because of language differences between Japanese and English the original 5-7-5 syllable style that used to be a defining characteristic of haiku is no longer emphasized, replaced with a more free verse style. Because of this complicated adoption and evolution of haiku I'm hesitant to simply offer a blanket Western definition and instead am more comfortable with defining 'styles' of haiku. I avoid terms classical or traditional which to some might suggest the 5-7-5 form specifically and prefer haijin Susumu's term neo-classical for the style used by most western haiku poets today.

WESTERN NEO-CLASSICAL HAIKU; A three line poem characterized by a seasonal mood, brevity, chasteness, and connotation or insight, based on the Japanese Hototogisu school.

Breaking down the definition...

"Three line poem" addresses the question of the 5-7-5 syllable form and the kireji break/hyphen use that comes from the juxtaposition of the call and response aka fragment and phrase style, all regarding the form and meter. There is a consensus for the three line form of the 5-7-5 pattern but with great debate as to any exclusive rhythm style so instead the word "poem" is used suggesting a rhythm that is to be determined by the author.

"Seasonal mood" addresses kigo and cultural differences with some seasonal acknowledgment, discussions of seasonal references, cultural differences, and includes the more subtle seasonal references.

"Brevity" also covers an aspect of the short 5-7-5 question and how brevity is important to Hototogisu haiku but without a specific length allowing for the author to determine it along with the meter.

"Chasteness" in part addresses the overall style and mood by using only appropriate themes in Hototogisu haiku and another key factor, simplicity. Definitions for Chaste include decent, modest, pure or simple which are echoed in other aspects of this definition of Western Neo-Classical Haiku.

"Connotation or insight" addresses haiku's zen parallels, humor, and haiku's aha/revelation, the tateku or self-standing. The concept of "insight" can also incorporate life sketch shasei style haiku as well.

A couple additional notes on styles.

Wabi and Sabi are styles sometimes used. In general they are about the beauty in the plain, the worn, the old, they are the unpretentious noble quality of the humble and content.

Also haiku that are cosmopolitan and dealing with 'universally' understood aspects are more effective because they are understood by a larger audience for a longer period of time and might even have the impression of a 'universal truth'. Although a haiku may not be cosmopolitan and may need explanation outside a certain region doesn't mean it isn't a haiku. We shouldn't abandon the haiku meant only for today, but should be aware that it is transient and only for a local audience for a limited time. The masters have many haiku whose meaning have been lost to us, and are now but a glimpse into a private dialog meant only for them then and not us now.

I should remind that the above is a definition for neo-classical haiku not haiku in general which is a little broader in style.

WESTERN GENERAL HAIKU; A 1-4 line/caesura or pattern (letter picture) poem characterized by brevity, chasteness, connotation or insight, and optional seasonal mood.

When it comes to defining haiku what some would say define as not being haiku I often see as either a different style of haiku or perhaps ineffective or amateur.

The biggest challenge for Western poets in writing haiku is to let go of western poetic devices of metaphor, abstractions, and flowery language. The idea is to only write down the most basic of the poem's physical key elements that when read in association to each other allows the reader to draw the conclusion of the meaning without it being 'spelled out' to them. Haiku is a 'very' short poem and if you incorporate Western poetic devices you might end up with a nice short western poem but not a very effective haiku, "Haiku is a finger pointing at the moon, and if the hand is bejeweled, we no longer see that to which it points.", R.H. Blyth.

Haiku Tips & Reminders

1. Propounding with response, like a one line topic followed by a two line phrase often indirectly associated, usually separated by a hyphen.

2. Commonly written within 4 to 17 syllables in free verse.

3. Show, not tell. Describe physical characteristics not your impressions or labels of the characteristics.

4. Concrete not abstract. Describe physical things not abstractions such as ideas and emotions.

5. Avoided western poetic devices such as adjectives, metaphor, and rhyme (or use sparingly).

*Using metaphor in haiku is tricky. Phrasing a metaphor can sometimes take the whole leangth of the haiku and then your left to wonder what's a haiku if it can just be a metaphor? There is often an additional connotations to the metaphor by associating it with the other elements of the haiku but indirectly. Usually the haiku can be read literally but then the metaphor is discovered like in an indirect association.

Michael Baribeau