Welcome to our weekly poetry stars’ celebration. This week’s challenge was to write a haiku. I shared the basics of how to write a haiku and gave you some visual and musical inspiration.
I was totally in awe of all the great poetry you all created. I shared some additional information about writing haiku vs. senryu on colleenchesebro.com, which created some excellent discussions.
If the subject of your poem is nature, it’s a haiku. If the subject of your poem is a human, it’s usually a senryu. Now, that’s pretty generalized, so read the cheat sheet to understand the differences between haiku and senryu. I also go over those differences in my book, Word Craft: Prose & Poetry.
I’m a purist or traditionalist when it comes to Japanese poetry, so for the challenges we will stick to the basic forms. However, explore all the different ways of writing haikai poetry through your own research.
Many thanks to everyone who joined in below:
| 1. | Reena Saxena | 10. | Greg G | 19. | kittysverses |
| 2. | ben Alexander | 11. | Sangeetha | 20. | Colleen Chesebro |
| 3. | Veera | 12. | Sri | 21. | D. L. Finn |
| 4. | willowdot21 | 13. | Jude | 22. | D. Avery |
| 5. | Gwen Plano | 14. | Harmony Kent | 23. | anita dawes |
| 6. | Laura McHarrie | 15. | Selma | 24. | Elizabeth |
| 7. | Trent McDonald | 16. | Yvette M Calleiro | 25. | Kavya Janani. U |
| 8. | Annette Rochelle Aben | 17. | Kerfe | 26. | Ruth Klein |
| 9. | Jules | 18. | theindieshe | 27. | You’re next! |
This week, I’ve selected D. Avery’s haiku to feature. This poem memorializes the poet’s view of an owl at night.
The kigo is “moonlight frost” which means it’s winter, or at least that it is cold outside.
What a great pivot (kireji) her last line gives us. D. compares the “breathless night” to the silence of the owl flying overhead. What great imagery. I guess that’s why the owl is such a great night hunter—you don’t hear them coming!
Haiku does not deal with generalizations. Haiku is not philosophical; they are stark, disciplined, and to the point.
moonlight frost feathered breathless night brushed by shadow— how silent the owl © D. Avery
Next month, I’ll select another syllabic form for us to practice. I’ll also give examples of how to write the specific form and tell you what I can find out about the form’s history. As a bonus, I’ll provide a song or another piece of poetry to inspire your own poetry creation. Occasionally, I’ll include information about a literary poet who also writes this form.
Thanks for writing syllabic poetry with me. <3
See you tomorrow for the new challenge!
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What a nice surprise! Thank you for featuring my haiku, Colleen. I enjoyed taking part this week and reading everyone’s entries.
As every great poems from everyone, well done D. Avery and as always thank you Colleen 💜
Thank you.
Thanks for writing haiku this week, Willow. It was fun to see all the different responses. <3
It’s beautiful, D.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading, Merril. That owl must have been a wonderful sight. <3
I like your haiku very much! It’s the silent owl that makes it for me.
Thank you. Yeah, it’s the silence of flight that is so striking (no pun intended)
You’re welcome.
It’s the comparison between the stillness of the night and the silent owl that captured this moment for me. <3
That makes sense. 🙂
D. this haiku was so full of imagery. Thanks for jumping in. I’m always thrilled when you stop by. That owl was a good omen for sure. <3
Thanks Colleen, I would be happy to stop by more often, but there are so very many squirrels around.
I believe you, it was a good omen, and here’s hoping that owl can take out the WP gremlins. I am having a hard time responding and leaving comments these days, and I do try to make the rounds when I join in. I apologize to those who were robbed of my words of appreciation by those gremlins.
Hmm. I might have figured this out…
We’ve all had difficulty with WP. They are working on another huge update. 🤦🏼♀️🙄
Congrats to D on that wonderful Haiku. Some lovely poems this week! 💕🙂
Thanks, Harmony. I’m glad you wrote haiku this week. It was a fun practice session. <3
Thank you. Yes, this was a great batch of poems all around.
Totally coooool. Congrats to D. Avery. Well deserved. Hats off, my friend. Thanks, Colleen 💜
Thank you!
Thank you!
You’re most welcome, Selma. Thanks for writing haiku this week. <3
Aww. Thanks. I’ll be back! xoxo
Congrats D! Totally deserved. (K)
Aw, thanks!
Beautiful! Congrats to D!
That imagery is so good. I struggle to describe birds, sometimes. D. did this so effortlessly. <3
Um, I’m not thaaat good. There was effort, in fact I find haiku the most demanding writing, so it is gratifying that this effort produced the picture I was going for.
I have to stop thanking people individually as it might cause me to throw the computer through the window and it is too cold for that.
I do appreciate the kind words.
LOL! It’s nice that people read what we write. That’s a good thing. 🥳
There was some effort! In fact haiku is a lot of effort, I’m glad it worked here.
It takes some thought-it’s those meaningful connections and the “aha”moment that take some time. But you made it all work beautifully. ❤️
What a beautiful poem by D. Avery! Extraordinary! Thank you, Colleen, for the clarifications, encouragement, and stimulus. All wonderful! 😊
I’m just thrilled you all enjoy learning and writing about these syllabic forms. Thank you. <3
Thank you and yeah, Go Colleen!
I have been in wordpress purgatory. My issues seem to be browser related. I can comment again!
I’ve had trouble with browsers too! I’ve finally moved to Firefox as nothing else seems to work with WordPress. Chrome used to work but there are so many security breaches! My Mac doesn’t work with Safari on WordPress. 🤦🏼♀️
I loved this haiku and the imagery she created. It definitely deserves to be featured. 🙂
Thanks, Yvette. The more we practice, the better we get. ❤️
Wonderful haiku chosen Colleen. Congratulations Avery.
Colleen, I don’t think you read my entry btw. 🥺
I’ve had so many issues with WP and comments. I’ll look again. I’m sorry Jude. ❤️