Heavenly haiku

Tis the season to be writing poetry and what better form for the fall than the traditional Japanese art of the haiku?

I first came across haiku when I bought an illustrated book of haiku as a gift for my father many years ago. He became interested in Japanese history, art and culture when being treated for a serious illness in an American military hospital in Tokyo. I knew he would be fascinated by the illustrations in the book, and would appreciate the intriguing nature of the verse.

Only in the last year or two did I make any attempt at writing a poem in just three lines and 17 syllables. Poetry has never really been my thing so it took the prospect of entering a challenge to get me thinking myself into this uniquely Japanese art form.

One thing that intrigues me about haiku is the extent to which the reader is drawn in, to contemplate the meaning of verse and to take a calm, meditative approach to poetry and to life in general. Reading haiku allows us to take a moment out of the hustle and bustle and simply to reflect on life and nature.

A haiku is the world’s shortest poem consisting of just 17 syllables. Despite its succinct form, it contains the essence of Japanese people’s aesthetics, view of nature, philosophy, thought, and sentiments.

Autumn is the perfect time to approach haiku for the first time, if you are not already practised in the art. For those who have written many haiku, it is perhaps a good time to reconsider the meaning of haiku itself, beyond the structural rules and conventions.

As a rule, haiku must have a kigo (a word connoting a season) and are rendered in three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables each. The kigo is a reflection of the Japanese people’s sensitivity to the changing seasons, our love of nature, and our respect for form: Tokyo Foundation

Being a practitioner of the martial art of karate-do, I am conscious of the characteristic cultural perspective of Japanese peoples. This is particularly so when we are privileged to train with some of the Japanese masters who make regular visits to Europe to pass on some of their expertise. In karate, striving for the correct form is vital. In haiku, though form is important, trying to understand nature, meditation on the meaning of the world around us, is perhaps more important.

With thanks to Mikeydred for the above link. Please do check out this 41s vid for a feel for haiku in a Lancastrian voice

Which is why I have found writing about the fall of the leaf to be a challenge. An exciting and fulfilling challenge but one that does not come easy. It's all very well fitting suitable descriptive into the 5-7-5 form but this does not always leave us with the haiku we may strive for.

Furu ike ya

Kawazu tobikomu

Mizu no oto

This poem from Matsuo Bashō, written in 1686, roughly translates as:

An old silent pond

A frog jumps into the pond

Splash silence again

Why not take a moment to listen to the old pond being read in Japanese?

When I looked for some good recordings I came across several that were irritating and patronising, some that were read in a male voice and others female. I preferred listening to a Japanese woman narrate this masterwork as it sounded for more in tune with nature than the male voice.

How to tackle writing haiku. Well, I am certainly no expert but, if you want to write about leaves falling, I can't think of a better way than go outdoors into a garden, a park, a forest, or any open space with trees. Watch, smell, listen, perhaps even pick and taste some seasonal hedgerow fruit and allow your quiet, inner self to contemplate the meaning of natures changes at this time of year.

In particular, observe the colouration and fall of leaves. How they cling to the tree before finally giving way and taking to the air. How they fall, how they land. Do they make any sound? What happens to them after they have reached the ground? Perhaps write some lines of verse there an then as you absorb the autumnal atmosphere. What does it mean? Haiku does not really answer any questions, just suggests that we contemplate the hidden meaning.

When it comes to writing your haiku, why not start by getting your thoughts down in a few brief lines? Don't worry too much about the structure to start with. You know you have to be economical with words and syllables but concentrate on thoughts and particularly feelings first. Then play around with the words and syllables, try different ways, different words, to convey your feelings and what you want to say.

Given the formal structure of haiku, you may well need to revise your lines of verse many times. Don't be afraid to try different approaches and be prepared to delete a line and start again in order to get it right. Make it the haiku that you feel.