A brief introduction to the art of Haiku and Senryu
Are you curious about those brief little poems called Haiku and wonder why people bother to write them?
Canadian artist & poet B.Y. Penman explains why she writes them and offers a few examples and links to other informative and interesting Haiku and Senryu sites.
What's the point?
Why I write haiku and senryu.
I don't write haiku or senryu to impress people or because I think it's the cool thing to do. I write these brief poems because it forces me to be in the moment, to stop and pay attention to the sounds, scents, tastes, and other sensations I'm experiencing. I choose to experience those moments, instead of letting myself be rushed along by this frenetic, frenzied pace of modern life. It's so easy to get sucked into that draining vortex of busyness that threatens to consume me.Haiku lets me stop, if only for a few moments during my day, and reminds me to be present, to let myself feel. It reminds me to experience things fully instead of passively letting them wash over me. It calms and soothes me, like a brief moment of meditation that's not forced or contrived.
I enjoy reading the haiku and senryu of others and getting a very brief glimpse of their lives, thoughts, experiences, etc. through three short lines comprised of 5,7,5 syllables. Sometimes they are raw and express painful emotions. Sometimes they are a sharing of a passing moment in time, something as simple as the taste of fruit, glimpse of a flower, a kiss, or view of the moon.
Did you know Jack Kerouac wrote haiku?
"Above all, a haiku must be very simple and free of all poetic trickery and make a little picture and yet be as airy and graceful as a Vivaldi Pastorella." ~ Jack Kerouac
"He incorporated his "American" haiku in novels and in his correspondence, notebooks, journals, sketchbooks, and recordings." ~ Regina Weinreich (Referring to Jack Kerouac)
~ B.Y. Penman
Definitions of Haiku and Senryu
The nitty gritty details about these brief poems
Haiku:Haiku is an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin that consists of three lines usually containing 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. A haiku usually contains a seasonal reference
Senryu:
Senryu is a 3-line unrhymed poem structurally similar to haiku though it speaks about human nature usually in an ironic or satiric manner.
Top 10 Most Interesting Haiku & Senryu Sites
Explore the Haiku & Senryu of other haijin.
Have a look at these haiku & senryu related sites or add one of your own . Vote for your favorite!
Dairy Lama: The Land of Cheese Haiku
The Dairy Lama's homeland is Wisconsin, America's more...1 point
HAIKU for PEOPLE
Internet Haiku Poems since 19950 points
Tiny Words
Tinywords.com publishes one haiku every weekday on more...0 points
The World Haiku Review
The Magazine of the World Haiku Club.0 points
Haiku Society of America
The Haiku Society of America is a not-for-profit o more...0 points
Haiku Canada
Haiku Canada is a society of haiku poets and enthu more...0 points
A STUDY OF TRUE SENRYU
Article about Senryu / Ugachi by Susumu Takiguchi.0 points
Simply Senryu
David Giacalone ("dagosan& more...0 points
http://www.squidoo.com/playgroundpoets
Playground Poets - haiku writing workshops for chi more...0 points
Haijin's Resources
- The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words
- Five hundred traditional Japanese season words with authoritative English translations, seasonally organized, for the benefit of haiku and linked poem poets and translators of traditional Japanese poetry.
Haiku Trader
The musings of a new media haijin.
"Haiku Trader is a new media poet and artist. I write haiku and make haiga (visual haiku), being inspired often by words that come my way here through comments, bulletins, messages, headlines and blogs."
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byNorthern Ruminations
"Musings & Mindlint" of Savvyology
Blog of artist & poet B.Y. Penman, known as Savvyology, on MySpace. This blog is a collection of haiku, senryu, tanka, free verse, artwork and related pieces.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byPhoto Haiku
International hat we...
a Different Engine
Metropolis atmospher...
Industree
Luddite Fight
Looking for more information about Haiku and Senryu?
Recommended Books about Haiku, Senryu, and related forms of poetry.
Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 07/26/2008)
The Sound of Water: Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Other Poets (Shambhala Centaur Editions)
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
An Introduction to Haiku: An Anthology of Poems and Poets from Basho to Shiki
Amazon Price: $15.00 (as of 07/26/2008)
The Haiku Apprentice: Memoirs of Writing Poetry in Japan
Amazon Price: $11.66 (as of 07/26/2008)
Modern Japanese Tanka
Amazon Price: $27.00 (as of 07/26/2008)
The works of Basho
On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho (Penguin Classics)
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
Grass Sandals : The Travels of Basho
Amazon Price: $12.91 (as of 07/26/2008)
Basho's Haiku: Selected Poems of Matsuo Basho
Amazon Price: $24.26 (as of 07/26/2008)
Classic Haiku: An Anthology of Poems by Basho and His Followers
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Narrow Road to the Interior (Shambhala Centaur Editions)
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
Looking for Haiku & Senryu Gifts?
Original Haiku & Senryu of artist & poet B.Y. Penman available on a variety of items through Savvyology Designs.
More books about Haiku and related forms of poetry.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 License.
Why Haiku? Guestbook
Comments & Word Offerings
Why not leave a haiku or senryu of your own here for others to enjoy? Regular comments are also welcome. If you do try your hand at writing haiku be careful .... it's addictive!
I learned a bit about Haiku through the great Basho book about a trip through Japan. I enjoyed reading your lens,thanks for the resources on haiku poetry.
Posted May 29, 2008
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beeobrien
Very nice lens. Posted May 16, 2008 |
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Ribbons
Great Lens! I have a Haiku for you... Posted March 24, 2008 |
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financelocator
Like the lens! Posted February 13, 2008 |
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test1163
Hi Savvyology, I really enjoyed articles on this lens. This squidoo lens really rocks. One of my friend also love meditation and has built his own lens. He has added some great content. You can check out his lens by visiting. http://www.squidoo.com/daily-meditation-for-you/ Posted July 30, 2007 |
