Perhaps you would be surprised by these translations (not by me) of famous old haikus in Japan:
Shiki: “Ten years of study, sickness, penury; One threadbare blanket brings it home to me.”
the courtesan Tama: “Please take me on your back, O paper kite, and from this Hell of Pleasure rise in flight.”
Etsujin: “I have concealed for one more year today From aged parents that my hair is grey.”
Below is a quote from a chapter called “The Traditional Background of Haiku” in the book, “A Chime of Windbells A Year of Japanese Haiku in English Verse” by Harold Stewart, Charles E. Tuttle Co: Publishers, Rutland Vermont and Tokyo Japan of which I own a 1969 First Edition (Library of Congress Catalog # 69-12084, Std # 8048 0092-8).
“By Tradition in its vertical sense is meant the divinely inspired or revealed myth and ritual, doctrine and method, which are handed down from the transcendent sphere above to the mundane below. Although initiated by a personage possessed of the avataric or the prophetic function, and embodied in the sacred scriptures which he transmits, Tradition from above to below is instantaneous and in the present, always here and now. On the other hand tradition in the horizontal and historical sense comprises the whole social ethos of customs and institutions, manners and morals, time honoured and often superstitious which have been handed down from the past, are still conserved by the people in their way of life, and will be passed on by them to the future. These two aspects cannot of course be separated and indeed cross at right angles at every moment; for the symbols of folklore and legend enshrine and preserve for posterity high metaphysical truths, while the transmission of spiritualinfluence from Master to disciple is both vertical and horizontal.”
It is a misconception to limit haikus to ecological nature. I lived in Japan in the 1970’s. Some of the spirituality there happens to coincidentally often refer to nature.
Writings favored by some American academics, such as those by Jack Kerouac, should not have the last word on the preferred "school" of haiku that should be imposed on poetry.
Do not force the term Senryu onto some of the actual haikus.
The Democratic National Convention’s message to you: “Government is the only thing we all belong to.” That controlling idea is absolutely wrong because
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You don’t trust us pulling on our bootstrap. But we don‘t want to fall across your flap, Forced to depend on your tangled knot, Laces spinning FORWARD to our children’s rot. You take and spend a little more; That will bar and close a good future door. The term penalty shot overdosed; Get set for a time-out to be imposed.
[choppy breathy with 1950’s rock of notes A D E] On Atlas’ shoulders – romance Mushrooms - wild - flashing eyes Head tied up in kNots – spinning RockNRoll Never Dies –
SIGHS… [breathy “SIGHS” with PERCUSSION)
Spiritual communion Climbing up to balcony Cool lips half a recital Till hot choreography Steams out insecurities Requesting to stay over
So, what would be wrong with that?
No Sunset phenomenom Casts anchor off crushed island Volcano checked its choking Mired on Mimi’s mimosa
Mother Hubbard won’t let you Have your cake and eat it too That cookie crumbled against The Count of Monte Christo
Celebrity attraction.
Making out in memory That mind’s journey full of lies Turned off heat under the hood Turned its back on shooting stars Fire starter, tender, plain But faltered sparks dampened quick.
Hair End - Now – what might have been Navigation won’t fly
Reality “A New Pace” Even comics would envy Until calmed by chamomile. Some surprise – persistent doubts Stoke Green Dragon’s rising will To melt ice maker’s heart
Then do – give me more of that lip Lounging longing lunging kiss
Sleepless Saturday duels Fixation ferments freedom One aching foot laced so tight The other foot kept asleep Until another shoe drops And he sweeps her off her feet
Not too late but overdue Ant saints are not marching in As together we take off Franc-ly - swirling On The Lake
Distant river chandeliers Scratch the fringes of romance Coax and cajole rejoinders Soon succumb to soft caress Slip sliding away softened Comforter of a conscience
[Electric guitar here starts acid-rock with heavy fast E minor chords] Kataphatic goals can go Check pending criteria Apophatic phantasms Ready for heart’s void chamber Clouds hold hands wetting shaved lips Candor backlights romance kiss Hair whisks away with fresh breaths Strobing the turnaround point
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Shiki: “Ten years of study, sickness, penury; One threadbare blanket brings it home to me.”
the courtesan Tama: “Please take me on your back, O paper kite, and from this Hell of Pleasure rise in flight.”
Etsujin: “I have concealed for one more year today From aged parents that my hair is grey.”
Below is a quote from a chapter called “The Traditional Background of Haiku” in the book, “A Chime of Windbells A Year of Japanese Haiku in English Verse” by Harold Stewart, Charles E. Tuttle Co: Publishers, Rutland Vermont and Tokyo Japan of which I own a 1969 First Edition (Library of Congress Catalog # 69-12084, Std # 8048 0092-8).
“By Tradition in its vertical sense is meant the divinely inspired or revealed myth and ritual, doctrine and method, which are handed down from the transcendent sphere above to the mundane below. Although initiated by a personage possessed of the avataric or the prophetic function, and embodied in the sacred scriptures which he transmits, Tradition from above to below is instantaneous and in the present, always here and now. On the other hand tradition in the horizontal and historical sense comprises the whole social ethos of customs and institutions, manners and morals, time honoured and often superstitious which have been handed down from the past, are still conserved by the people in their way of life, and will be passed on by them to the future. These two aspects cannot of course be separated and indeed cross at right angles at every moment; for the symbols of folklore and legend enshrine and preserve for posterity high metaphysical truths, while the transmission of spiritualinfluence from Master to disciple is both vertical and horizontal.”
It is a misconception to limit haikus to ecological nature. I lived in Japan in the 1970’s. Some of the spirituality there happens to coincidentally often refer to nature.
Writings favored by some American academics, such as those by Jack Kerouac, should not have the last word on the preferred "school" of haiku that should be imposed on poetry.
Do not force the term Senryu onto some of the actual haikus.
Dead and Gone is no reward
Once Lived Dreadful choice
17 syllables only is a RULE of this Senryu/Haiku category of poetry.
“Government is the only thing we all belong to.”
That controlling idea is absolutely wrong because
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When it’s too perfect for adults to imbibe.
And a child’s broken dream room is too tried.
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But we don‘t want to fall across your flap,
Forced to depend on your tangled knot,
Laces spinning FORWARD to our children’s rot.
You take and spend a little more;
That will bar and close a good future door.
The term penalty shot overdosed;
Get set for a time-out to be imposed.
“FORWARD” by MistyRose™ © 5 September 2012
(This poem was written during the Democrat's National Convention to nominate President Barack Obama.)
On Atlas’ shoulders – romance
Mushrooms - wild - flashing eyes
Head tied up in kNots – spinning
RockNRoll Never Dies –
SIGHS…
[breathy “SIGHS” with PERCUSSION)
Spiritual communion
Climbing up to balcony
Cool lips half a recital
Till hot choreography
Steams out insecurities
Requesting to stay over
So, what would be wrong with that?
No Sunset phenomenom
Casts anchor off crushed island
Volcano checked its choking
Mired on Mimi’s mimosa
Mother Hubbard won’t let you
Have your cake and eat it too
That cookie crumbled against
The Count of Monte Christo
Celebrity attraction.
Making out in memory
That mind’s journey full of lies
Turned off heat under the hood
Turned its back on shooting stars
Fire starter, tender, plain
But faltered sparks dampened quick.
Hair
End - Now – what might have been
Navigation won’t fly
Reality “A New Pace”
Even comics would envy
Until calmed by chamomile.
Some surprise – persistent doubts
Stoke Green Dragon’s rising will
To melt ice maker’s heart
Then do – give me more of that lip
Lounging longing lunging kiss
Sleepless Saturday duels
Fixation ferments freedom
One aching foot laced so tight
The other foot kept asleep
Until another shoe drops
And he sweeps her off her feet
Not too late but overdue
Ant saints are not marching in
As together we take off
Franc-ly - swirling On The Lake
Distant river chandeliers
Scratch the fringes of romance
Coax and cajole rejoinders
Soon succumb to soft caress
Slip sliding away softened
Comforter of a conscience
[Electric guitar here starts acid-rock with heavy fast E minor chords]
Kataphatic goals can go
Check pending criteria
Apophatic phantasms
Ready for heart’s void chamber
Clouds hold hands wetting shaved lips
Candor backlights romance kiss
Hair whisks away with fresh breaths
Strobing the turnaround point
... continued
To succumb to your Caress
Slip Sliding Your Way
Senryu by MistyRose ™ © 18 JULY 2008 "SAX "
17 syllables only is a RULE of this Haiku/Senryu category of poetry.
is an Institution for those who want to get
Committed.
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Revised and Arranged © May 2009 © October 2009
Premiered 30 May 2009 at 10:30 pm at Gypsy Coffeehouse Tulsa Oklahoma
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