04-01-2013, 10:18 AM
Billy, interestingly I received this from a friend who is a student of haiku and exotic poetry. This is what he wrote:
"the controversy would fade if people would accept that there are really two things: traditional Haiku and Modern Haiku (arguably English Language Haiku being the primary modern variant). What most people who end up in debates either don't understand or are unwilling to accept is that traditional Haiku (to my understanding and research) was a *very* strict form, one that is impossible to write in English because of the linguistic differences, the two big problems being the syllable issue (the one always noted) and the lack of a direct linguistic analog for the kireji (the word or suffix that would cut or separated the two ideas/images and/or indicated emphasis on one of them).
The ironic thing is that being "about nature" was never a specific requirement of traditional Haiku, but given the form arose in a pre-industrial time, and given that there was a requirement for a season word/seasonal reference, the bulk obviously are nature related.
People like everything in neat boxes, but obviously the world rarely lends itself to that. Any adaptation in English that does not adhere as closely as possible to traditional requirements (given the unavoidable linguistic issues) can still be legitimately labeled Haiku, but should be considered Modern, and Modern Haiku has very loose rules. Now, obviously, if you start straying really really far it gets ridiculous -- at some point it becomes silly, an affectation if not disingenuous to label a short poem Haiku. Where that point is though, could be endlessly debated".
Personally, I do not think a seasonal reference is a must for Modern Haiku or ELH; however, if there is no seasonal reference, there should be other aspects of the form that make it apparent that that is what it is. Perhaps one test would be this: if the average reasonably informed poetry reader (not a scholar, but neither someone off the street who never reads poetry) can't read it and, when asked what type of poem it is, say "I think its a Haiku", then you have probably strayed too far.
I found this enlightening.
my best!
Heart
"the controversy would fade if people would accept that there are really two things: traditional Haiku and Modern Haiku (arguably English Language Haiku being the primary modern variant). What most people who end up in debates either don't understand or are unwilling to accept is that traditional Haiku (to my understanding and research) was a *very* strict form, one that is impossible to write in English because of the linguistic differences, the two big problems being the syllable issue (the one always noted) and the lack of a direct linguistic analog for the kireji (the word or suffix that would cut or separated the two ideas/images and/or indicated emphasis on one of them).
The ironic thing is that being "about nature" was never a specific requirement of traditional Haiku, but given the form arose in a pre-industrial time, and given that there was a requirement for a season word/seasonal reference, the bulk obviously are nature related.
People like everything in neat boxes, but obviously the world rarely lends itself to that. Any adaptation in English that does not adhere as closely as possible to traditional requirements (given the unavoidable linguistic issues) can still be legitimately labeled Haiku, but should be considered Modern, and Modern Haiku has very loose rules. Now, obviously, if you start straying really really far it gets ridiculous -- at some point it becomes silly, an affectation if not disingenuous to label a short poem Haiku. Where that point is though, could be endlessly debated".
Personally, I do not think a seasonal reference is a must for Modern Haiku or ELH; however, if there is no seasonal reference, there should be other aspects of the form that make it apparent that that is what it is. Perhaps one test would be this: if the average reasonably informed poetry reader (not a scholar, but neither someone off the street who never reads poetry) can't read it and, when asked what type of poem it is, say "I think its a Haiku", then you have probably strayed too far.
I found this enlightening.
my best!
Heart