I’ve been doing a thorough analysis of haiku, senryu and pseudo-haiku (sometimes called failed haiku). Haiku has always been one of my favorites, and the use of a season word (kigo) is what fulfills the true meaning of a haiku. These season words are essential to the understanding of haiku. Haiku and nature are forever connected.
silver hair... winter's first frost touches her eyes © Colleen M. Chesebro
We write haiku by giving our readers at least two images to connect with. The idea is to create a juxtaposition between the two images.
In the haiku above, I compare silver hair to winter’s first frost. Then, I take the images a step further… I compare winter’s first frost to the glint of age (glaucoma, possibly?) showing in her eyes. However, there is also a connection to the impermanence of time. After all, we all grow old. Winter also signifies death, as the natural world is in hibernation waiting for spring to reawaken the dormant world.
But the season is critical to making this haiku work. It’s easy to see that we lose the deep connection if we remove the kigo of winter’s first frost.
This haiku is part of #TankaTuesday. Join in HERE and write some color poetry.
I hope this helps you craft haiku. Namaste & Blessed Be!
Word Craft Poetry 
So poignant, Colleen!
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Thanks, Merril. I’m learning much about the different forms. ❤
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You’re welcome.
Do you know Ingrid at Experiment in Fiction? She’s doing a funny daily “haiku” for poetry month. 😀
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Oh nice. I’ll have to look for her. What fun!
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Beautifully explained and presented!
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Blessed be ❤️
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Thanks Ruth. Blessed we! ❤
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🥰
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Lovely image!
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Thank you. Haiku are fun to write. ❤
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Again I can’t leave my comment in the correct spot… so it will have to go here.
Just wanted you to know I actually used a kigo (really two) today, after the inspirational verse;
Observation Evolution
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You have to go down to the read more button and click. Comments come up. I’ll work on this further tomorrow.
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No worries… you get some rest. (((Hugs))).
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I love your haiku, Colleen. I appreciate your discussion about the form. In your research, how was pseudo-haiku defined (other than failed)?
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They have a name for them: Zappai… not really haiku and not senryu—somewhere in the middle. That’s my next book: Haiku, Senryu, & Zappai ❤
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Syllabic lines that are neither fish nor fowl, eh? It was fun to learn something new today!
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Great! I love the mechanics of the haiku. Writing them well, takes practice and I’m still learning too. 💖
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Utterly beautiful, Colleen. And the photos you chose to go with it are sublime.
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Thanks, Diana. That silver hair is our crone’s badge of courage. 😂💖
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I mentioned being “crones” to a girlfriend, and she raised her chin and said she’s a “wise woman.” I agreed that the term was a little more flattering. Lol
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True… I do prefer wise woman. LOL! I stand corrected. LOL! ❤
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A beautiful image. (K)
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Thank you. It’s fun to learn more about the form. 💖
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Ooh, I love this! Zappai is a form I’ll definitely have to try. Thanks, Colleen. Well done! 💕🙂
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We’ll it’s not a form we should aspire to, it’s more the form that happens when we don’t plan our haiku or senryu out properly. I’ll explain more in future posts. 💖
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I think it’s the “failure” and mixing and melding that appeals so much to me! Yours was such a wonderful twist. I won’t look too closely at what that might say about me! 😂
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LOL! Well Zappai are not a true form, more an accident. It’s not a form I’ll include in the challenges. We should aspire to writing better haiku and senryu, instead. 😂🤦🏼♀️💖
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Love this imagery sis. ❤
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Thank you. These comparisons are what make our haiku. 💖
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This is a beautiful haiku, Colleen! I love when you explain the poetic form because not only do I get to enjoy the poem but I also learn how to create my own. Thank you! 🙂
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Yes! That is my plan. It’s hard to research all of this if its not your thing… so, I’ll do it for you guys. ❤
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I guess I write quite a bit of pseudo-haiku (I prefer that over the alternative!).
Another fine lesson ~ Thanks.
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Yes, Zappai are the accidental haiku. I’ll write more about them later. ❤
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Looking forward to it. Hopefully when I get more ink… I’ll print out a handy reference guide! 😀
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Thank you Colleen this was a very helpful post, love both images 💜💜💜
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Great! I’m so glad it helped. 💖
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It did
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This is a beautiful haiku, Colleen
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Many thanks. 💜💚💛
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A beautiful haiku, Colleen
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Thanks, Robbie. I’ve been studying how to write them in detail. ❤
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Hi Colleen, I like the way you have explained the imagery. All people don’t pause to think how profound a haiku can be. Beautifully written!
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Thank you, Balroop. It’s those two images that you compare and contrast (along with your kigo) that make a haiku magical. I’m writing another book, so you know I have to share along the way. LOL! ❤
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Great explantation and images. Beautiful and thought provoking.
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Thank you! It’s the season word and the two images that somehow relate to each other that we need to complete a successful haiku. ❤
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So much said in so few words!
And looking forward to learning more about Zappais!
Thank you for letting us discover and learning new forms each time!
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The Zappai is not a form we should aspire to. My research says the form is more an accident-of not writing haiku or senryu. 💖💖💖
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Ohhh!
Noted and will keep in mind!
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I’ll explain more when I get closer to getting this book finished. ❤
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👍👍
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Colleen, aside from you being a fantastic poet, you’re also an amazing teacher – thank you so much for breaking your thinking down – I really appreciate you taking the time.
❤
David
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David, thank you for such a wonderful compliment. I’ve been studying haiku for several years and I always felt like I couldn’t get it just right. All this research for my new book is paying off. It’s the two images connecting in some interesting way and the kigo that make it a haiku. ❤
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Sis, you are the Poetry Goddess. A born teacher. ❤
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Thank you. I just love this stuff. 💜💚💛
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That is so evident in your instruction and your poetry. ❤
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Thanks, Sis. It’s great fun to be able to do the things that make me happy. ❤
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It’s a gift. ❤
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Thank you, Sis. ❤
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❤
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This one really touched me Colleen. And I love the explanation. I sometimes forget to focus on the haiku connection with nature. The meaning/interpretation always gets me. A little poem can really pack a punch!
Pat
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This has taken me years to figure out, Pat. It’s the two images, and the seasonal word that makes this a haiku. Once we compare the two images, that’s where the magic happens. ❤
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