The Haiku
Because I've been accused of writing stuff that is too long
I make no apology for the following, I have been accused of writing stuff that’s far too long; especially my poetry, so I am bowing to popular demand, and providing three poems for your delectation (That’s a posh way of saying I want you to look at it and kind of like it),
I have decided on the Haiku form which is sort of foreign; Japanese people invented it, and they do it well, but they have allowed non Japanese people to have a try and some non Japanese people do it well too.
Haiku (plural Haiku) usually deals with arty farty stuff like nature and all that business. They look dead simple in structure, because they only have three lines with seventeen syllables arranged; five, seven, five. But beware, they look easy but they’re well difficult.
One of the best poems ever was written by an American called Ezra Pound. It sort of sounds like a Haiku but it’s only got two lines and there are too many syllables, but I like it, and as it’s my hub, I’m including it. (I may bow to popular demand sometimes, but only when that’s the way I want to go).
If you look carefully, and your mathematics is up to it, there are three poems here. I’m going to call them all Haiku (Remember; the plural and the singular is Haiku).
The first is written by Ezra Pound who I’ve told you about already; the second is by me; the third is written by someone who wouldn’t give his name (or maybe it was a lady poet, and she wouldn’t give her name).
The apparition of these faces in a crowd
Petals on a wet, black bough
Ezra Pound
The Mathematics of despair.
I was born too early;
You, too late.
Five syllables first
Secondly it is seven
Then five is haiku
Anonymous
By the way; I still think Lady Poets should be called Poetesses.
Specifically for the Faint Hearted.
For those of you who find that my poetry (and verse – there is a difference) is too long winded; these two hubs are more up your street… and continuing the “up your street analogy”, they are a very short walk.
