Short Love Poems And How To Write Them By Edward Weiss

Looking for a way to write short love poems? Look no further than haiku poetry! Haiku may be the shortest living poetry in the world! In just a few words, an entire sentiment can be expressed. But how to write them you ask? It's easy! Look at this short love poem:

Spring breeze --
her hand accidentally
grazes mine

Here we have a scene where we know what time of year it is. We also know the kind of day it is... breezy. Now, the next two lines describe an event that takes place in 'real time.' Because that's what haiku is all about. It's about present moment occurrences. What could be more immediate and suggestive of love than what is taking place as it's taking place?

To write haiku, you have to learn how to rid yourself of western poetic devices like analogy, simile, and metaphor. Haiku seek to describe events in simple and plain language. You have to get good at writing what haiku poet Ray Rasmussen has aptly called 'first-order sense mind impressions.' This somewhat long way of describing how to write haiku simply means you need to look at what's going on now, not what's happening in the past or what may happen in the future.

For example, the phrase 'her hand accidentally grazes mine' describes an event that is taking place. It doesn't ornament it with flowery language. It simple describes what is happening in the present. Many people think writing haiku is easy. That's because they don't understand how to write haiku. Short love poems the haiku way are a unique way of expressing your feeling for another person. To do it, think first of writing a phrase, then, combine it with a sentence fragment and you've just written your first haiku love poem!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=76538&ca=Poetry

Haiku Examples And The 5-7-5 Syllable Rule By Ed Weiss

Most people understand what haiku is. And most will tell you that a true haiku poem must have a certain pattern of syllables and lines. For example, the first line will get 5 syllables, the second 7, and the third 5 again.

This is all well and good but it's not necessary at all! In fact, most modern haiku in the western world no longer adhere to this structure. I for one think that's a good thing! Let's look at some haiku examples to see why.

Haiku Example #1:

steady spring rain --
a tree takes shape
at dawn

The above haiku poem is from one of my favorite poets, Bruce Ross. Notice that the 5-7-5 rule does not apply here. Also notice that the poem is still a haiku. Why? Because it uses something called phrase and fragment theory. The first line is a fragment and creates the overall ambiance of the poem. The next two lines contain a specific phrase about something occurring in a present moment. Read as a whole this tiny poem accomplishes the haiku sensibility, which is basically an observation or snapshot look at what is happening in the present. Plus, it's subject is nature - another common haiku attribute. Let's look at another example.

Haiku Example #2

a swallow
pond bathes...
summer woods

This haiku by the author completely abandons the 5-7-5 rule and still works as a haiku poem. This is because it uses fragment and phrase theory to create a micro-macro view. Also, we have the phrase first this time followed by the fragment. Notice the image that is created by the juxtaposition between the phrase and the fragment. This is what creates the poetics of haiku!

To write haiku in the modern style, you don't have to worry about fitting your poem in old forms. This frees you up to creating something you may not have thought of if you had to follow the 5-7-5 rule.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=80129&ca=Poetry

Haiku Poetry And The Concept Of Wabi/sabi By Edward Weiss

It may sound like a tasty sushi dish, but the concept of wabi/sabi is a Japanese idea that literally means 'sweet sadness.' It's a feeling one may have when winter is approaching and you notice the change in nature's cycles. It's a feeling of impermanence that surrounds all living things on this planet. Nothing lasts and this idea finds its expression well in haiku poetry. For instance, look at this haiku poem by Bruce Ross;

winter sun...
the pigeons foot crackles
a dry leaf

The first line suggests the time of year and the general ambiance of the day. It is wintertime and as we all know, the sun's position and relative affect on the earth is quite different during this season. Lines two and three complete the poem and focus, quite remarkably I might add, on the activity of a pigeon. Here, the pigeon happens to walk on a dry leaf and the leaf crackles because of it.

Now, lines 2 and 3 really have no poetic effect by themselves. But, when combined with the sentence fragment 'winter sun,' we get what many have called an absolute metaphor.. a snapshot if you will of a moment in time. And it is precisely this moment in time that creates the wabi/sabi affect!

Nothing lasts. Not the winter, not the sun's position, and surely, not an incident so small as the crackling of a dry leaf. Yet these seemingly small events are what life is about. To catch them is the haiku poet's job and it is done superbly in this poem. When we read this haiku as a whole, we come away with that sweet sadness that most of us have felt at one time or another. We realize that this life is only temporary and that each 'small' act is a miracle in itself.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=76535&ca=Poetry