Try something new today

Haiku is a very short poetic form of traditional Japanese poetry. The haiku poet writes about a moment in time, a brief experience that stands out. The traditional haiku poet usually focused on nature, although modern poets have the urban setting as their venue.

Traditional Japanese haiku consisted of three lines of 5, 7, and 5 units each, which are generally applied as syllables, and contained a special word — the kigo — that indicated the season in which the haiku was set. Some consider that a haiku must also combine two different images, be written in present tense, have a focus on description and have a pause (the kireji or "cutting word") at the end of either the first or second line. Today's English-language poets produce haiku in one of three ways:

(1) by using three (or fewer) lines of no more than 17 syllables in total;

(2) by using the concept of metrical feet rather than syllables. A haiku then becomes three lines of 2, 3, and 2 metrical feet, with a break or pause after the second or fifth;

(3) by using the "one deep breath" rule: take a deep breath and you should be able to read the haiku aloud without taking a second breath.

Often the subtle linkage between the two sets of images within a haiku will contain an interesting insight or spiritual message.

An example of classic haiku (by Basho):

An old pond!
A frog jumps in -
the sound of water

Another Basho classic reads:

The first cold showers pour
Even the monkey seems to want
a little coat of straw

Here's my attempt on a late Tuesday evening (while listening to iTunes):

Randy Travis -
Wallow in lonesome longing
A good Fall sound

And a second one, a bit longer (5-7-5)

I like working here
Good business mixed with laughter
Time passes quickly

Try it!