The Haiku Foundation Forums

I wonder if this doesn't begin to prove the point (if there is one),

"I don't think lone is needed, as a cry of a crow suggests singular already."

"The use of lone and lonely as become somewhat a cliché in haiku, I must have read tens of thousands of haiku using one or the other.  I feel it's best to suggest loneliness without using the word directly." ~Alan


While there are possibly 100,000 words in our vocabulary there are only a small percentage of those that we can choose and use for haiku.  We are greatly limited in words through the confines of historical structure and form demand.  I think this may have been what was frustrating Basho of which he made clear in a few of his quips/comments, apparently.

If we're getting close to cliche regarding many of our words for use in haiku are we also on the brink of running out of options for writing such a genre?  The thought remains interesting to ponder.

best,

Don

Quote from: Lorin on May 09, 2011, 04:10:27 PM

Michael Dylan Welch, in his essay 'Selected Examples of Deja-ku', gives these three examples of haiku for consideration re the possibility  of 'cryptomnesia', reading a haiku then forgetting it, so unintentionally plagiarising ...

- Lorin

The Deja-Ku is clearly one possibility.  The other is; due to the brevity of haiku and, therefore, the limited number of words that could ever apply, the possiblity of writing poems that are almost identical without having ever seen a matching one(s) is extremely possible considering the number of haiku written per day world-wide.  The math is there: the truth will follow. 

As long as we work with poems that are only 9-11 words (in English), we will be captured within the confine of possibility rather than the expansion.  That's the premise I've been pondering.

Just thinking a bit more ...

best,

Don

Hi Larry,

Welcome aboard!  It's great seeing you here.  Thanks for joining in.  Your posts are wonderful and a pleasure to read and ponder.

take care ... and thanks again for joining in.

Don

I want to take a second here and thank you all for your time, effort and comments.  You have created an incredibly interesting thread of which challenges minds and concepts for writing haiku in English.

I'm enjoying everyone's thoughts and participation very much.  Thank you!

best to you all,

Don

@Lorin:

You have explained this so well and I agree with you completely.  Thank you. Very simple: very clear.

Thank you,

Don

Hey Alan,

Thanks for posting ...

:)

@Chibi:

"I've wondered if a spider eats a firefly where the glow goes?"~chibi

This kind of thinking hurts my brain!  LOL   :o

best to you,

Don

Wow! Cat!

Congratulations!!!

Don

Wonderful news.  Congratulations!  There are so many supportive people of this foundation.  It's a true testament to how much it means to everyone.

Very nice,

Don

:)

This is a lot of great information.  Thanks for sharing.  I didn't realize there was such differences with every publication (I don't send out that often or to much variety ... just lazy, I guess :) ).

Very interesting and informative.

Thank you.

Don

Wow... cool story.  Thanks for sharing.

Don

Alan,

That's an interesting point.  The colon does add light to the resonance of the poem (metaphor). I wonder what indicators there are in Japanese?

... a growing and interesting thread ...

Don

Hi Alan and Gael,

Please include those links on this page if you have not already done so:

http://www.thehaikufoundation.org/forum_sm/new-to-haiku-free-discussion/learning-about-haiku-helpful-links-286/

Thanks!!!   8)

Thanks Cat and Gael...

Much appreciated.  I will keep you posted.  I've been teaching online for over 7 years and have for 35 years plus (music/martial arts).  I really enjoy the interaction and the students' vigorous energy to learn.  It's always exciting for me to see them excel.

Col and Myron, both, have written assignments in the school I currently manage/teach.  If I recall, Col, came in very much a beginner.  He finished the assignments quickly and clearly had a bubbling well of talent.  He was interested in writing Christian Haiku (as I recall in my old brain) and we began chatting about the thought of writing much of the Bible in haiku structure.  I believe he did quite a bit of that (can't remember).  Myron popped in and wrote for the advanced class.  I almost never had anything to say regarding his writing - very sharp poet. He, like Col, also had (and has) a natural instinct for writing fabulous haiku.  They both often make me envious of their wonderul talents.

Fun times;  and, I'm looking for a lot more fun times in the future.  The school seems to be my next logical target.

all my best,

Don

ps ... (a side note) while I'm doing better these days, there is still no decision when a surgery on my left artery will (or if) be needed.  It's a birth defect of which the right side artery tried to kill me.  Crazy stuff.  But, thank you all for the kind notes and emails.  I appreciate it.

Thanks Col,

You'll be the first to know!  I have the name.  Now, the work! (website design) UGH  LOL  Your turn to teach, man!

Don
8)