a haiku is more than 5-7-5

[AlinaX]

this threesome
though prime, is still kinky and under eighteen -
not allowed!

 

[Piscator]

fucking robins, why
can't they just eat their early
worm and keep quiet?

 

[Piscator]

spring mayflies emerge
brown trout surface dining
river flows on

 

[Winter_Fare]

Too serious maybe?

her cry is a blade
red metal cutting through her
one cry becomes two

 

[Lazaran]

.
the panic attacks
terror grips mind and body
conquered it retreats

 

[mynameisben]

much more, though there's a general acceptance of a 5-7-5 layout that calls itself haiku but doesn't bother with any other aspects of haiku. some call it 'american' haiku; i call it lazy.

sure, there are some great little poems written as 5-7-5, but call them what they are - shorts/faux-ku/minis. I detest the spread of misinformation that has so many poets thinking any old thing written in that format IS a haiku. it's not.

it's strange that so many argue the opposite, yet remain silent on the 'rules' of a shakespearean sonnet, for example, or what compromises a ghazal, a villanelle, a limerick... who argues that ignoring rhyme scheme and syllable count, line reps or meter can be blithely ignored but their poem still MUST be accepted as the form they claim it to be? *crickets*
haiku seems to be the sole form this happens with!

it would seem the form often being taught as an initial introduction to poetry (because of its brevity) has lent itself to this incomplete idea that 5-7-5 alone=haiku

i'm all for breaking 'rules' but call things what they are; hell, even shakey's sonnets are different to petrarchan sonnets, but that's reflected in the name.

so, what are the basics of haiku?

• 17 syllables or less, over 1 to 3 lines long
  
• no title, rhymes or metrical scheme, limited punctuation or none at all
  
• a sort of snapshot, a moment in time, nature-based, in simple language not directly referencing human emotions and avoiding the poetic tools of simile or metaphor
  
• a seasonal reference, most often recognisable natural elements such as snow, a flower, or creature relevant to a specific time of year
  
• a juxtapositioning of imagery, generally brought together by a third line to give the piece its depth or 'aha' moment
  
• a 'cutting word', often marked by an em dash or ellipsis

by keeping people out of any emotional imagery, it allows the mind to apply the actual content to find meaning that relates to the human condition. there are reasons why haiku is considered an art form and not easy despite its simplistic appearance.


okay, so a pet peeve of mine; a peeve that inspired this faux-ku, non-ku, taking-the-piss-in-frustration ku:

oh hai

this is not a ku
i can count - five, seven, five
*chucks in a blossom*...

(additional punctuation deliberate )



Kireji (切れ字, lit. "cutting word") is the term for a special category of words used in certain types of Japanese traditional poetry. It is regarded as a requirement in traditional haiku, as well as in the hokku, or opening verse, of both classical renga and its derivative renku (haikai no renga).

a kiregi often comes halfway through a line



wiki puts it this way:






it'd be nice to see some attempts at haiku posted under this; they'll give a better understanding of the function and form

Well, I'm glad somebody finally took the time to set the record straight about haiku. Thank you, butters!

I'm a firm believer that 90% of everything is crap – this is especially true about poetry in general – but nowhere is it more true than when it comes to haiku. Haiku is, by far, the most badly abused and misunderstood poetic art form there is, so much so that I refuse to read it anymore. And I really, really like haiku! When written well, haiku sparkles with the elegance of brevity, captures a great truth about the harmony of nature and humanity, and cuts to the essence of that harmony with a carefully chosen cutting word. These are all essential elements of haiku that are thrown to the wayside by self proclaimed poets who offer nothing more than a fervor to prove to the world they can count to seventeen. To satisfy even the bare minimum of the 5-7-5 format, American haiku often feature tortured punctuation and contractions, as well as line breaks at the damnedest points in mid-thought. More than occasionally, they don't even add up to 5-7-5. In an attempt to make up for such shortcomings, American haiku often reek with silly little rhymes, bad puns, and an over reliance on references to sex organs and sexual intercourse. Because of haiku's innate brevity, Lit authors churn them out by the thousands, with some Lit "poets" posting 10 or more haiku every damn day.

Enough! I can easily go the rest of my life without reading another haiku again.


Ben

 

[AlinaX]

True... but I think it's fair to separate out the correct form of haiku, for which the 5-7-5 can often feel clunky, from the lighthearted 5-7-5 challenge that is more wordplay than revelation. On my good days, I can just about manage the former. But don't dismiss the latter: it's good fun, and an entrypoint into the world of the former.

climbing to heaven
I tie bootlace to bootlace
and pray no one sees

 

[EllenMore]

An old house,
its walls collapsed.
I shall sleep here.

 

[Piscator]

I'm a firm believer that 90% of everything is crap – this is especially true about poetry in general – but nowhere is it more true than when it comes to haiku.
Ben

But somewhere in that 10% there is that "Ah Ha" moment which makes it all worthwhile

 

[SimonDoom]

Fake haikus annoy
Purists -- when snow comes. The cold
Freezes minds and lips.

 

[AlinaX]

my amateur words
a blunt tool to cut snowdrops
talk not of haiku

 

[Neverlander]

Trees at Dusk

Gray trio of oaks
Persist unmoved in silence
When I've said good night.

(Me, you, and everyone we know)

 

[AlinaX]

I thought you said 'gay'!
what an image of uncut
sailors a-dancing...

 

[Winter_Fare]

Actual toxic mother son conversation this morning:

"Share the fucking milk!
There's enough for everyone!"
"I don't care. It's mine."

 

[Sweet_n_SpicySprite]

"Did you say sweet treat?
Delicious, hot and sultry
Thick and luscious cream.

 

[thejabber27]

@29wordsforsnow Thanks for the info

Warblers in tandem

Seeking warmth how… guiding winds

Fair fortune to them

 

[AlinaX]

no poems in here
just putting words together
for entertainment

 

[thejabber27]

The last drop glistens
The heart of summer expires
Mellow clouds drift by

 

[thejabber27]

Myriad foliage

Forage insects! Prepare now

Snow brings warmth below

 

[butters]

True... but I think it's fair to separate out the correct form of haiku, for which the 5-7-5 can often feel clunky, from the lighthearted 5-7-5 challenge that is more wordplay than revelation. On my good days, I can just about manage the former. But don't dismiss the latter: it's good fun, and an entrypoint into the world of the former.

climbing to heaven
I tie bootlace to bootlace
and pray no one sees

no poems in here
just putting words together
for entertainment

perhaps we need the term Fun-ku for these types... i enjoy them!

 

[butters]

The last drop glistens
The heart of summer expires
Mellow clouds drift by

if you're going for a real haiku, maybe try for words less emotionally charged... if not, a nice short poem

btw, welcome to the PoBo!

 

[butters]

city fault lines
mayflies piled in drifts
dust pans and brushes

 

[thejabber27]

if you're going for a real haiku, maybe try for words less emotionally charged... if not, a nice short poem

btw, welcome to the PoBo!

Thanks, I’ll definitely try to do that. I’m using the microseasons as prompts

 

[thejabber27]

Pruning grape blossoms

Purifying the essence

Sweet wine from small grapes

 

[thejabber27]

Swallows swooping down

City scrapers a fine perch

Wind ferries them all