About haiku

“ I believe that haiku poem can be written well without season words, written well in free form and not only in 5-7-5 syllables . Sayumi Kamakura too points out that sincerity of emotion is more important than using season words: Season words are still merely words. As long as they are words, then the emotions the author attempts to convey with them should take precedence over the words themselves. The Japanese haiku that has touched me are those where the author's true sentiments burst from the words. What is most important in haiku is how much true feeling is included in the poem".

“ Cred că poemul haiku poate fi scris bine, fără referire la anotimp și fără forma fixă 5/7/5 silabe.

Sayumi Kamakura accentuează deasemeni că emoția autentică este mai importantă, decât “kigo”.

Ele sunt, totuși, doar cuvinte. Atăta timp căt cuvintele sunt ceea ce sunt, emoțiile pe care autorul intenționeaza să le exprime trebuie să se evidențieze dincolo de ele.

Haikul japonez care mă impresionează este acela care emană sentimente arzătoare.

Cel mai important în haiku este sinceritatea emoției.”

               Ban'ya Natsuishi

About haiku

"Haiku did NOT start as tanka! hokku was the opening verse of a renga which later Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902 …Issa’s pupil and the last of the 4 great masters) decided should be a ‘stand alone’ verse which he named haiku.Now known as modern haiku or gendai haiku.
Tanka originated from waka!

Without getting too involved in the 5,7,5 argument i must say that it is generally accepted that 12-14 English syllables is about the equivalent of Japanese onji/morae.
 
Haiku in English has only been around for about 100 years,it was Blythe who decided that to write haiku in English it should be 5,7,5 English syllables.
The Japanese couldn’t understand why there were so many words!

This is not to say 5,7,5 (17 syllables) in English is incorrect,just that it is wrong to think it must only be that…no-ones fault,it’s the way everyone was taught when English haiku became westernised…

Blythe tried to work a way around simulating Japanese haiku to fit into English and 5,7,5 English syllables is what he came up with.
Most of the 5,7,5 ‘supposed’ English haiku you see online now is not haiku just because it conforms to the syllable count… and so this myth carries on.

More importantly haiku should have kigo(seasonal word or reference),kireji(cutting word or symbol) and should show not tell…i.e. don’t explain the haiku like a painting or statement,use senses etc. to involve the reader in his/her interpretation of the haiku…a haiku is not complete until another reader has read and connected with it".

This is a hokku/haiku;
 ---------------------------
how fragile
our eggshell minds…
moon on water

Brendon Kent - member of the British Haiku Society
Haiku Reality Vol.12 No.20 Summer 2015