Haiku

Starting in August 2006, my newest obsession has been Battle Haiku. A Haiku is a Japanese form that's 17 syllables long

First line: 5 syllables
Second line: 7 syllables
Third line: 5 syllables

The traditional Japanese form has many intricate rules, such as being a moment in time, mentioning the season, having certain stresses at certain times, etc.

What I do is not traditional Japanese Haiku. What I do is the bastardized Western version, called Senryu, but we just all call it Haiku anyway.

Battle Haiku in particular has an emphasis on cleverness or social commentary, needs to be understood immediately, and is half in the performance of it. These are not meant to be read on the page but rather performed on a stage. Preferably performed at a Haiku Battle, in which judges narrow down the best haikuster.

I keep my ongoing collection of Haiku on livejournal. You can check them out here.

Here are a few to get your palates wet.

Holding a heart in
your hands is dangerous, not
to mention messy


Black man walks down street.
5-year old girl: "I hate him."
Mom: "Do you know him?"


Date with bed salesman
More concerned with how mattress
Performed last night


My mound is hungry
You exceed capacity
We cause fire hazard


If I could I'd write
poems without words so you could hear
each other's heart beats


If TV didn't
give you your lines anymore
what thoughts would you speak


Read poetry to
ocean at midnight,
the waves applaud every word

Read more Haiku on livejournal