starry night (haiku)

[Heartafire]

[quote='Heartafire' pid='120220' dateline='1363967218']
moonless night
pin-point stars
pierce the sea

i like it, should there be a seasonal word in there?

Hi Billy, thanks so much for stopping here. I imagine the use of seasonal words is optional now, it seems a lot of the traditional critieria has been abandoned in order to accommodate many languages. Here is an example of a haiku by Basho. I find many
exotic forms do not include a seasonal reference...but what do I know? Please take all info. with a grain of salt.
A wild sea-
In the distance over Sado
The Milky Way.
My best and thanks again,
Heart

wild sea denotes winter.
it may not be obvious but there is always a seasonal word in haiku. in a short poem it's optional in a haiku it classed as mandatory for the form.
certain birds are seasonal words, plants too. things like blossom, pine cones, bees, lambs and hundreds more.
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Hi Billy, I suppose this falls under the controversy regarding free form haiku. Note this information I am c/p from wikipedia...we know it must be legitimate if it is in wiki, no? ;-).
Kigo

Main article: Kigo

A haiku traditionally contains a kigo, a defined word or phrase that symbolizes or implies the season of the poem, which is drawn from a saijiki, an extensive but defined list of such words.

Kigo are often in the form of metonyms[citation needed] and can be difficult for those who lack Japanese cultural references to spot.[citation needed] The Bashō examples below include "kawazu", "frog" implying spring, and "shigure", a rain shower in late autumn or early winter. Kigo are not always included in non-Japanese haiku or by modern writers of Japanese "free-form" haiku.[citation needed].
Where I live a wild sea would designate summer and fall, not winter, but that is irrelevant, just a mention. Thanks Billy, it is fun to study this ever changing poetic form.
Best,
Heart

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Hi Softlyfalling, lolo, and Todd, thank you for reading and the kind words. Love the additional lines you hav added Lolo, very lovely.