In Depth Discussion?

[meghalls]

With apologies to Lorraine Pester, I have deleted my posts which were an attempt to start a discussion
on haiku and poetry.

[Lorraine Pester]

I often wonder how haiku (and senryu, haibun, etc) writers relate to other forms of poetry. I hope you will be willing to answer a few questions. For the sake of simplicity I will allow the word “haiku” to refer to all Japanese-form poetry, and poetry to everything else.

Please answer any or all of the following. Thank you.

1. Apart from haiku, do you read poetry?

2. Do you write poetry?

3. Is one more important than the other to you?

4. How familiar are you with the current poetry scene?

5. Do you agree with those who say (and many do) that they have little interest in poetry because it tends to be more about the author (and his/her verbal skills) than what is being written about?

6. Any other thoughts?

1. yes. i read other forms of poetry.

2.i write free verse. giving a try at sonnets. trying long prose poems.

3. what? i take this first to mean reading/writing:::both are important but i spend more time writing. actually, i spend more time making notes about a topic that leads to a poem.
japanese/other forms:::the best poems choose their form as they’re being written.

4. more aware of the japanese forms scene than regular poetry forms scene.

5. i think that’s always an issue. when i was learning to write, i found myself forcing my words into a particular form. these days, i appreciate the poems that aren’t forced into a form.

[meghalls]

Deleted

[Lorraine Pester]

Thanks Lorraine. I have modified the questions a bit. There may be better questions. Mostly I am interested to know what role poetry plays for people who write haiku, if it does at all.

Meg

okay.

3.and 6:::i started writing poetry. wrote very short pieces. had it suggested to me that i try haiku. which i did 5 years ago. for the last several years, i’ve concentrated on haiku. started messing around with haibun at Alan Summer’s’ suggestion. i like the longer format—i am a storyteller.
whenever i write haibun, i try it out as free verse and longer prose poem as well and see how my writing settles into a form.
i’m trying out monostich, duostich, tercet, cherita, tanbun. in short, i’m always searching for the format that best suits the verse.

[meghalls]

Deleted

[pottygok]

With apologies to Lorraine Pester, I have deleted my posts which were an attempt to start a discussion
on haiku and poetry.

Yup. Doesn't seem too many folks on this forum want an "in depth discussion," which is a shame. Keep your chin up!

[meghalls]

My sense is that the forum primarily serves people who have come to haiku only recently and wish to
learn more. In that, it does a good service. I don't get the impression that many of the more "established" writers come here, though occasionally one sees posts by Paul M, Lorin Ford, and a few others.

On Troutswirl, features like Richard Gilbert's "Creative Blooms" does stimulate some discussion, though
it has been a while since he has offered something new. (Which is understandable-- clearly a lot of work goes into it). Sadly, re:Virals has not lived up to its potential.