Once in a while a moment will strike a harmonious chord within me and I am overwhelmed with a desire to express that. Words begin to pop. I then set a challenge for myself to be as concise and poetic with those words as I can. Haiku, the Japanese art form loved by grammar school English teachers, is a wonderful parameter (17 syllables in 3 lines 5-7-5) within which to fit this treasured memory. 

Adding a bit of ink drawing and some watercolor paint to my funky calligraphic handwriting, my joy/deep emotion is expressed and complete. 

–>• About Haiku •<–

The Japanese art form of Haiku is poetry that fits in a nutshell. Just 17 syllables and three lines, thoughts are condensed into one breath of speech. The content is about two different yet related ideas with a seasonal reference thrown in. There is a focus put on nature, emphasizing an intense, direct, and simple expression of observation. Through the years and cultures, traditional elements have been modified but basic rules still apply: 5-7-5 pattern for the seventeen syllables written in three separate lines. Yet, sometimes even the basics will get slightly bent. So, what makes a grouping of syllables and lines of words a haiku today? The essence of brevity, the call upon the senses, and a lack of rhyming remain in creating a haiku.

It is a challenge to cut out 90% of the words one wants to use to get to a vivid point. Arranging them in Haiku fashion also might require counting on fingers, crossing out and replacing words, counting on fingers again, rearranging the order of lines, referencing the thesaurus, on and on … it is a challenge that leads to more discovery and rabbit trails, a challenge worth trying. Hopefully, the end result also results in drawing future readers into further thought of their own.

Should you, dear reader, venture to try expressing yourself in haiku, I would love to be one of your future readers! Please send me an email with your haiku! I will read it with joy!

– Kristy

Always be curious! • Browse my ‘gallery’ here!