Most haiku poets today, even as they navigate the challenges of contemporary situations, nevertheless have comfortable lives. Not always so, and not always so today. This six-part series examines the way haiku interacts with those of less fortunate circumstances. Host: Anna Maris.
Poverty has many faces. A lack of material possessions can by one person be seen as a disaster, where non-materialistic individuals may think nothing of finding themselves in that same situation. Our attitude to poverty is connected to who we…
The idea that great art is best created in austerity carries a romantic view of poverty. The notion of the struggling writer, penning beautiful poetry in squalor, certainly has a truth in haiku. Writing haiku can sometimes be easy and…
We often think of a successful life as one where much has been achieved by one person or many possessions have been gathered, but often the outer signs of success are of less importance to the individual. Many find happiness…
There are strong connections between haiku and begging. Many of the classic haiku masters were beggar monks who scorned possessions for a life in simplicity. Today we are again meeting austerity and begging on our doorsteps in many parts of…
Writing a good haiku has many different components. Excellent haiku often come from simplicity and in finding profound meanings in very modest things. One of the masters of finding that magic in everyday life was the beggar monk Santoka Taneda’s…
Many of the respected masters of haiku were Buddhist monks. Many wandered on foot, from temple, to temple. Almost all of them were begging. They were a cherished part of the community. They would chant sutras and write poems for…