SENSITIZE ©

More words have been written about this form than virtually any other. I'm going to keep it simple. The commonest anglicised form comprises three lines, syllable count 5-7-5. Traditionally it should be about nature. And that's it. Many writers however use any subject, and don't keep to the syllable count anyway, as it doesn't strictly relate to the Japanese form, the languages being so very different.

I like to keep to the normal syllable count, and make each line a clear statement with no enjambment (ie, they don't run on into each other), but subject-wise, anything goes.

The Guardian newspaper runs a daily haiku challenge for poems based on current news. There's a prize for the best one each week. Here's the link, if anyone fancies having a go: http://books.guardian.co.uk/games/haiku/

Just saw your entry Delph mate... Well done

I wrote this haiku when I clicked on the Guardian link you provided above and then surfed the Guardian's pages looking for a story to inspire:-

rough justice
by Louis P. Burns aka Lugh © 7th July, 2006.

• rough justice again.
  eleven thousand. that's all.
  for a life taken!

Yippee!!! Didn't even notice they'd picked one of mine. Thanks for spotting it, Lugh

These are very satisfying to write, as you've no doubt just discovered with yours. You can say a lot in just a few words.

delph_ambi wrote:Yippee!!! Didn't even notice they'd picked one of mine. Thanks for spotting it, Lugh

These are very satisfying to write, as you've no doubt just discovered with yours. You can say a lot in just a few words.

Yes, it's satisfying to write Haiku poetry indeed Delph... How does the Guardian thing work? I submitted my poem about the 7/7 victims, and thought the Guardian would email me back but they haven't...

Ah well. Wait and see...

They don't reply, I suspect, unless you win the prize for writing the best haiku that week. (I haven't received a reply, despite having a haiku posted yesterday.)

Now that is exquisite. A perfect haiku.

Delph

Cheers Delph

I've had a turbulent week to say the least. When I wrote The Field And The Apple Tree, I was seeking to access some calmness and regain inner peace. I find writing or playing guitar (when I have one), very soothing...

Thanks for the feedback and compliment on this piece mate. I really appreciate it...

Haiku?



In all seriousness, under a particular web browser I used to use, whenever you mistyped for otherwise couldn't connect to a web page, it would come up with the error 404, and then underneath have the following haiku such as this:

Rather than a beep
Or a rude error message,
These words: "File not found."

Another strange piece of geek trivia brought to you by...

Nice one Alan

I've just got another one on the Guardian site.

delph_ambi wrote:I've just got another one on the Guardian site.

Way to go Delph

Congratulations mate

Click here or the link below to see Delph's latest Haiku on the Guardian website...

http://books.guardian.co.uk/games/haiku/

Toooooooooo Coooool

Hyperlink and link in this post are to The Guardian Unlimited Books webpage.

Congrats delph

Nice one lugh

Cheers Alan

Here's another...

Bukowski's goatee
A Haiku Poem by Louis P. Burns aka Lugh © 13th July, 2006.

• Bukowski's goatee.
  words tangle in a white beard,
  then fall and are caught.

A gift for our creative friends over on MSN Bukowski's goatee... Here's hoping they join us