Haiku #2

Haiku is a popular and accessible form of poetry that some members of our writing group were keen to try. They're short (the Haiku) but deceptively difficult to do well. The aim is to use as few words as possible to capture a moment in time. According to one expert "a good Haiku conveys through implication and suggestion a moment of keen perception or insight into nature or human nature". Traditionally there are references to the environment or season, grounding the poem in the world around us. Sometimes they have contrasting or juxtaposing elements that can surprise or make us think differently about something. People often use a 5-7-5 syllable format for each line but this is not as important as the ability to paint a picture with few words, capture a moment and achieving that 'aha' moment. 

Here's a few that the group came up with in today's session. 

Fog obscured land

Above white - blue

Albatross gliding

- Karen

White whiskers twitching

Beady eyes glint, surveying

Patter of feet race

- Rose McCulloch

Poor smoker puffing

Smoking golden tobacco

Poor health of wallet

- Phil Porteous

Fog obscures the beach

Waves rolling to the shoreline

Distant figures turn

Hills glow in yellow

Moments later they are dark

Bird twitters loudly

- Robert 

Ice-cream melting

Very hot day

Damn, not my car

Man standing alone

Should he stay or should he go?
Bloody bus service!

- James Macandrew

sounds echoed around
getting louder and louder
within her head


grass grows all around
mown in intricate patterns
rugby sprigs destroy

- Christine Philp