Come and join me on this adventure. Read. Write. Be Surprised.
The fun of writing haiku is mathematical, coming up with the right number of syllabels for each of the 3 lines. When having this problem getting the right number I try different forms of the word. When I find the correct words for each line the haiku comes quickly. Sometimes I may write an alternate word or idea over words in a line. I later come back to read the haiku and do any editing at that time...
As I have worked with haiku poetry I have discovered a way to resolve issues, bring healing, and give a new direction to life. How? Start with any issue and write a word picture, a haiku. This will lead to a new haiku
going deeper. This may happen a number of times, I have written 4-8 haiku at a time. Each haiku sparks a new insight and again and again until a resolution is reached.
But I always come to a resolution, anew insight and a new direction...a new path...and a new issue to solve...
Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry. It presents a word picture made up of 17 SYLLABLES. These 17 syllables are written in 3 lines 5-7-5. That said by haiku? I use a series of 4-7 haiku that presents an issue and arrives at a solution or healing. The first haiku presents a word picture of the issue. Each following haiku tries to clarify the issue until you arrive at a solution....
Cosmic Night - a glimpse in the Mind of God. From the darkness of Creation to the darkness of the tomb - New Light has shown.
These haiku reflections of the Easter Vigil were written throughout this Cosmic Night as I looked briefly into the Mind of God. As the night unfolded certain words and themes spoke to me. I had to respond and write.
The theme of Cosmic Night struck me from the beginning. And the words Cosmic Night introduces each of the haiku. The Cosmic Night moves from words spoken at the blessing of the new Easter Fire to the Paschal Candle lowered into the Baptismal Font. The Cosmic Night from Creations beginnings (Genesis 1:1) to the marriage of the human and Divine (Genesis 1:27). The Cosmic Night from Ezekiel's new heart of flesh to the New Heart from the empty tomb. The Cosmic Night from the flashes of the Resurrection to the Godspel of He Is Risen.
On my way to celebrate Christmas with family in Virginia I stopped ate a Hardees for breakfast. A guy in his 40's came in but didn't order anything. Later an older guy came in. Once the older man settled into a chair the younger left. I was apprehensive about both. . The older guy just sat in the chair and didn't order any food. I was afraid I would be accosted by both later as I left.
The waitress asked the older man if he was hungry. She then brought him a plate of biscuits and gravy. It was then that the penny dropped. This man was homeless and Hardees was feeding him. I felt bad that I had judge this man as being seeking money from me later. Before I left I spoke to the waitress and asked if is homeless. ,She said yes and that other members of the family watched over him. That must have been the younger guy earlier. I gave her money and told her to give him a sandwich. She said she would and put the rest in a fund they had behind the counter, This made me realize how quick I judged him and others who are homeless. You will find haiku in the Haiku Gallery.
Over the years I have explored various topics - I call them Graced Gifts. I have found after the initial exploration and learning that there is so much more depth to learn. The same is true with haiku poetry. It is this discovery that has expanded my knowledge. In the future of this Blog and my Haiku Gallery I want to share this depth with you.
First, Basho's interest in spirituality was a great influence in his life.as it has been in mine. I shared with you a series of haiku and reflections throughout the Liturgical Seasons of Advent and Christmas. I hope to share more with you in the future.
Second, Basho made four trips in his life. Each in someway opened him to nature and life.These are reflected in the poetry he wrote. I want to experiment with the idea of journey in my life.
I hope to do this with haiku and encourage you to do the same.
By his life, spirituality and journeys
Matsuo Basho raised haiku poetry to a serious art form.
In doing research for this blog I came across much information about Matsuo Basho (1644-1694). Most came from various topics about haiku and Basho found in Wikipedia.com. As a teacher, told was not a reliable research site. But I have found it a wealth of quick information. You can go there and read about thes two topics for yourself.. What I want to reflect and write about haiku in general and Basho's contribution to poetry.
Basho wanted to write haiku seriously but haiku did not have a good reputation as a serious genra at the time. And like all of us he set out to change this. He was a serious teacher but from time to time needed to get away. At other times felt a need for spirituality in his life. Basho studied Zen meditation. Throughout his life he studied, reflected on life and traveled.thus raised haiku to a serious level.
Next blog will be my reflection on my life and haiku use.
After writing two blogs on Matsuo Basho I came to realize I need to share with you why various forms of haiku are important to Haiku Mood Seeds. First, I want to share with you what I have learned about the various forms of the genre. Second, to use these forms to share what I have gleaned about my life's journey. Finally, to encourage you to explore and use these forms of haiku to reflect poetically on your like's journey. By these reflections we both bring about an understanding of where we have been and where we would like to go in the future.
"For is from the power of the seed that the bud sprouts. And it is from the buds that the friut of the tree springs forth" St.Hildegard
Seeds, buds, fruit are the important words in the quote. It is the cycle of the plant - from the seed, to the bud to the fruit. This is a repeating cycle.
As Jesus says in St. John's Gospel -until a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a seed., But when it falls to the ground and dies and produces more grain. "The power of the seed", the potential that the seed contains the process starts again. Once the seed starts to grow it becomes a new plant with new potential.
God has planted this seed inside each of us. As Thomas Merton states in New Seeds of Contemplation these seeds "...are the seeds of my own identity, my own reality, my own happiness, my own snactity."(33)
Haiku can become the seeds of new growth. identity and sanctity.
"And it is from the bud that the fruit of the tree springs forth." St. Hildegard
As the tree grows and matures it produces buds that produce the fruit. Jesus states that only good fruit comes from good trees. Thomas Merton reitterates that the seedof the fruit contains my identity, my reality, my sanctity.
John Dun Scotus, 13th Century Franciscan philosopher, states that when the Loving and Creative God created us not from an existing pattern but as a unique person. (This the source of Thomas Merton's True Self.) To carry this reflection further we see this in nature in that two varieties of some stone fruits are required to produce fruit. Thus the new fruit contains a combination of all the possibilities from the parents and now becomes unique able to produce a new variety with all its genetic possibilities.
Thus Hildegard understands from her observations the power of the seed to produce the bud to produce the fruit which provides the sees with new possibilities.