I am not a poet, which is why Haiku has always appealed to me (as well as the Limerick, of course). It’s so simple, even a nonpoet like myself can do it, right?
I used to listen to the Dori Monson show when I was in High School; he’s a Seattle-based talk radio host. He had a weird obsession with Haiku and would have people call in with Haiku about the topic of the hour. Except that seriously 1 out of ever 4 people would get the form wrong. Although technically, Haiku are not strictly defined by 17 syllables (at least according to Wikipedia!), that’s the form that is most recognizable in Engligh (you’d have to read the whole Wikipedia article for an explanation).
Anyway, the local NPR station asks for contributions from listeners for their “year in review” in the form of a Haiku. I thought this was brilliant. How do you summarize an entire year in 17 syllables? How would you even summarize a day in 17 syllables? I thought this seemed like a wonderful challenge. After much needling, I got one out of Erin, and while teasing her about it, got a laugh out of her for this one:
Girling writes haiku
Works on it all day and night
In your dreams, Boyfriend
So here’s my 2010 Haiku. I am seriously considering going back and writing one for each year that I remember. That would be awesome. I’m also considering writing one for each day of 2010, that might be fun too.
Mr. B arrived
wind shifted, our path altered
no more white Christmas
I may change this…but I kind of like it.
Posted by FatMan on January 2, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Trying for profound
Then the next thing I know my
Syllables run out.