You need a quick, classy, clever Valentine, right? Something unique and romantic that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Easy. Write a love poem. No, really, write a poem for someone you love. Instant romance. Free. You can't beat that. Two dozen excuses for not writing a Valentines poem have just sprung to your mind. Nice try. You don't have to be a Nobel prize winning poet or an English major or anything like unto it. Go for a haiku. Haiku is lithe, elegant, and avoids the pitfalls of cheesily contrived rhyme. The format is simple: Three lines; five syllables then seven syllables then five syllables again; no rhyme required. Five-Seven-Five. OK? Like, ummmm, this:
slice of morning sun
falls on your bright face and dims
by comparison
or
my heart still drums that
mad elated rhythm when
you walk in the door
or
you are my springtime
coaxing into bloom bright buds
that yield sweeter fruit
Try it. You'll get hooked. Write a haiku for someone you love or a haiku about anything. If you feel like sharing, include your haiku in a "Comment" and make my day. We'll call it our First Annual Valentines Day Haiku Fest. I triple dog dare you. Happy Valentines Day!
Your challenge sounded like fun, so I decided to give it a shot. However, it also sounded much easier than it was! I don't think poetry of any kind is my forte. I am pretty terrible at it, but here is what I came up with:
ReplyDeleteWish, wait, and wonder
When Prince Charming will appear
Sweep me off my feet!
Love you Aunt Jer! Happy Vday! -Roxy
On the contrary, Roxy. You are a natural! I love your haiku. And I love you. Enjoy paradise for me, OK? Hugs.
ReplyDeleteWould this be senryu or haiku? Contains nature reference, but about a person. . . ?
ReplyDeleteLight lifts me these days--
Smell of sun and soft of sky--
And then, there's your smile.
Happy V day. Love you lots.
Gorgeous haisenkuryu, Robbie. I always struggle with the senryu vs. haiku question. The definition I found that sits best with my sensibilities is this from Francine Porad of Seattle, Washington (past President of the Haiku Society of America. Yes, there is a Haiku Society of America. Rad.) "There are some people who believe any reference to human beings in a haiku turns the poem into a senryu. I disagree. In my opinion there should be no separation, is no separation between human nature and the world of nature." Agreed! Francine adds, "Sometimes a poem fits both (haiku and senryu) categories." I guess we're modern American readers/writers and we have made our own hybrid version of haiku. That's why I love poetry. It morphs, the rules stretch and the lines blur.
ReplyDeletePoetry must have been in the air this V day. I wrote Robbie what I thought was a haiku, but he said was senryu, but I think your above explanation would justify it as haiku, and he wrote me 8 poems. I wrote a haiku last night while feeding my baby:
ReplyDeletebiting while nursing
is not a very good way
to say I love you
Hee hee. Please save that for when Oliver grows up! :) I think poetry was definitely in the air this week. And why not? Poetry is delicious, but doesn't make us fat. It's the perfect gift.
ReplyDeleteI think most Americans tend to lump senryu and haiku under one broad Haiku category. And we tend to fiddle with the seventeen syllable thing when we feel like it or throw in a fourth line at will. We can't help ourselves. We're born and bred to push the envelope and look at strict rules of structure as a starting point to spring off into open air. So, call your poem anything you like.
Snuggle, nuzzle now
ReplyDeleteTime for bed, and dreams await
Hold you in my arms
Winds unexpected
ReplyDeleteTakes my breath away each time
Leaves me filled with joy
Sandy--thank you for always being so encouraging (even if you are a little biased!) You lift me, friend. Truly.
ReplyDeleteI found a beautiful poem today by Lynn Park. It's not Haiku at all, but I loved it:
ReplyDeleteTake the time to pray--
it is the sweet oil that eases the hinges into the garden
so the doorway can swing open easily.
You can always go there.
Consider yourself blessed.
These stones that break your bones
will build the altar of your love.
Your home is the garden.
Carry its odor, hidden in you, into the city.
Suddenly your enemies will buy seed packets
and fall to their knees to plant flowers
in the dirt by the road.
They'll call you Friend
and honor your passing among them.
When asked, "Who was that?" they will say,
"Oh, that one has been beloved by us
since before time began."
This from people who would have trampled over you
to maintain their advantage.
Give everything away except your garden,
Your worry, your fear, your small-mindedness.
Your garden can never be taken from you.
Lovely. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHere's my contribution of winter-themed haiku.
ReplyDeleteCold, pearly silver
Moonbeams prick the frozen woods.
Quiescent magic!
At midnight: whip, whip!
Branches beat my bay window.
Dancing wind and twig.
Sparkling, freezing drips.
Icicles link roof and ground -
Winter's frosty cages.
Love, Bonnie
Wow, Bonnie! You have a true gift for haiku. You even stay within the traditional Japanese-haiku-realm (nature.) Gorgeous. And . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you.
ReplyDeleteWe played a fun game with haikus. Each person had a sheet of paper in front of them and wrote the first line of a haiku. Then when everyone was finished we passed our papers to the left and wrote the second line. Then passed it one more time to the left and wrote the third line, being careful to get the proper number of syllables. Then when we passed them one more time we read the one in front of us--some with chuckles, some thoughtful, etc. We also tried this with limericks--that was fun, too.
ReplyDeleteYou, friend, amaze me
ReplyDeletewith the depth and breadth of your
joy in life's good things