writeALONG! 8 April

A TUESDAY FEATURE

hosts: Padma Rajeswari, K. Ramesh

guest editor: dipankar (দীপংকর)

Only the unpublished poems (that are never published on any social media platform/journals/anthologies) posted here for each prompt will be considered for Triveni Haikai India's monthly journal -- haikuKATHA, each month.

Poets are requested to post poems (haiku/senryu) that adhere to the prompts/exercises given.

Only 1 poem to be posted in 24 hours. Total 2 poems per poet are allowed each week (numbered 1,2). So, revise your poems till 'words obey your call'.

If a poet wants feedback, then the poet must mention 'feedback welcome' below each poem that is being posted.

Responses are usually a mixture of grain and chaff. The poet has to be discerning about what to take for the final version of the poem or the unedited version will be picked up for the journal.

The final version should be on top of the original version for selection.

Poetry is a serious business. Give you best attempt to feature in haikuKATHA !!

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Among the many books that have helped me through my as yet unfinished haiku journey, Haiku: A Poet’s Guide by Lee Gurga (with Charles Trumbull) stands out. Here is an advice from the book that I wish to share with you.   

“The primary poetic technique of the haiku is the placing of two or three images side by side without interpretation. At least one of these images, or part of it, comes from the natural world. The second image relates to the first, sometimes closely, sometimes more ambiguously.

This juxtaposition of images conveys a sense of significance to the reader by what has been called internal comparison. A space is created between the images in which the reader’s emotions or understanding can lodge and grow.

How these images relate to one another is a matter of some delicacy. The relationship cannot be too obvious or the poem will be trite, but if it is too distant the association of images will appear forced or arbitrary.”

A good example of the technique is

winter rain

in our garage

the same stray cat

--Penny Harter

In a similar spirit, Ben Gaa writes (in HF):

"One of the things that I like most about haiku is that they don’t really rely on background stories to make them work or be interesting. They exist all on their own …

a little frog

on our sundial

passing time

I talk about this poem … with two images and the cut in the third line. It shows how simple, succinct and suggestive language allows the reader to step inside the poem and see their own frog, see their own sundial, and place the poem in a setting that is unique to them.” 

I am inspired by these thoughts and invite you to write haiku based strictly on them.

Images only, no interpretation.