| March 19 Workshop Information Moderator: Phil Wick |
Poetry form: haibun | List of all workshops |
Introduction to haibun: model basis: Edo Period writings.
Poetry Society of Colorado Workshop
March 2k11 moderator: p.l. wick
the haibun (singular/plural): non-rhyming, primarily non-metered—most definitively developed by Matsuo Basho (1644-94) as travel journal writings, letters. The writings described not only weather, path and interactive situations along the way, but also micro-details of nature, circumstance, or occurrence; consisting of two components: a.) An intro or travel log, short prose, selection(s) usually written in first person, concrete narrative, (perhaps, one or two paragraphs across a narrow page). b.) one, sometimes more indented, interwoven, linked, haiku; usually beginning the entry, many times ending the entry and also occurring between (linking) paragraphs when needed for connectivity and accent. The haiku may either be directly or tangentially linked to the subject, but especially being linked to the sabi (flavor or hue) of the descriptive prose text.
(the prose): paragraph(s) constructed in a grammatically complete straight forward, spartan manner; the style actually complimenting the haiku to which it is joined. The prose is usually not developed as a “complete” story, rather selections of moment—as is the haiku. Avoid flowery, saccharin, over written descriptions. The prose should compliment the style and sabi of the associative haiku without duplicating words or overtly linking to the verse.
(the haiku): need not be the dogmatic three line-seventeen syllable, elementary mnemonic style. One, two, or more lines—two or more linked haiku or even a short, appropriately constructed (non-rhyming) poem may be considered for inclusion. The haiku is utilized as flavoring or more introspective examination of specific components of the prose. Explore writing the haiku in a utsuri (reflective link) structure; one might surprise one’s self. The haiku (verse) is constructed according to either traditional or more contemporarily acceptable parameters.
example, from Hwy. 395. Note utsuri usage in haiku portion:
|
……And as night’s lantern nudges above the tree line they begin
to yip and chorus, thrusting their noses high into the cool, still, air. silhouetted forms along the ridgeline coyotes drinking from the moon plw |
Recommended study: Matsuo Basho: the Narrow Road to the Deep North.
Penguin Publications, acceptable translation by: Noruyuki Yuasa.
the Essential Haiku, Ed. by: Rob’t Hass. Translation poor. Decent historical info.
Jane Reichhold: multiple internet sites. Superb haiku information. Some haibun.