30 DAY WRITING CHALLENGE
How to Haiku
A quick and gentle nudge to your creativity.
“The shape of haiku is in the blank spaces.”
~Ellen Compton
Haiku is a form of poetry, which originated in Japan.
It consists of three lines that don’t rhyme, but must follow a pattern of rhythm.
In English, haiku follows a structure of:
Five syllables first.
Seven syllables follow.
Then another five.
Traditionally, haiku focus on nature and contain a seasonal reference.
Haiku tries to capture a moment. It may offer a very deep or profound view of a subject and leave the reader with a vivid image in their mind, or feeling a strong emotion.
Personally, I find haiku very calming — almost meditative — to work on.
It requires focus and concentration, while at the same time opening the mind and senses to new ways of perceiving something…
Do you do Haiku?
Ponder, imagine and muse?
That’s what I do, too.
It’s a bit like those “magic eye” 3D pictures — the ones you stare at intensely with unfocused eyes, looking deeper with blurred vision and a touch of imagination, to see a new and altogether different picture.
