Dec. 15th, 2010
Haiku - Senryuu
Dec. 15th, 2010 10:26 amMost people if they've read any poetry or taken classes on it are somewhat familiar with haiku. A Japanese form, and English speakers will say 14 syllables in 5 - 7 - 5 arrangements. This is close, probably as close as translation of any poetry works from any one language to another. In Japanese haiku comprise 17 morae or on, which corresponds closer to their written language (kanji, hiragana and katakana syllabaries). Haiku also, by tradition, focus on seasons and nature.
Senryuu (a long U sound) is similar to haiku in that the number of morae/on/syllables is 17 and in that 5 - 7 - 5 arrangement. The difference is that senryuu focus more on human foibles rather than seasons or nature. May seem a fine distinction, yet these fine distinctions are rather a Japanese trait, at least in my limited experience.
In English, pretty much 'haiku' covers it all. In my playing with words, until I learned the second term, that's what I called them, too. Over on Flickr, there is a group called the Haiku Me group. The rules are simple: write a haiku to the photograph immediately before the photograph you post. I'm not a regular nor frequent player, yet I do visit and play. Over time I started collecting the ones I wrote as well as those written to the photos I posted. One reason I started collecting is that on a day reviewing the group, I discovered a couple haiku that I'd written disappeared, forever, as the person on the account holding the photos I'd written to deleted their accounts.
Very Zen, that.
Anyway, if you're interested, this is the collection (with a bit of a description or title on the photos involved) of the ones I wrote. I suppose I could include links. However, that seems like too much work, on the spur of a moment when I reviewed them and before heading out to feed teh Ranch this chilly morning.
( Haiku. Or Senryuu. Rather a number of them... )
Senryuu (a long U sound) is similar to haiku in that the number of morae/on/syllables is 17 and in that 5 - 7 - 5 arrangement. The difference is that senryuu focus more on human foibles rather than seasons or nature. May seem a fine distinction, yet these fine distinctions are rather a Japanese trait, at least in my limited experience.
In English, pretty much 'haiku' covers it all. In my playing with words, until I learned the second term, that's what I called them, too. Over on Flickr, there is a group called the Haiku Me group. The rules are simple: write a haiku to the photograph immediately before the photograph you post. I'm not a regular nor frequent player, yet I do visit and play. Over time I started collecting the ones I wrote as well as those written to the photos I posted. One reason I started collecting is that on a day reviewing the group, I discovered a couple haiku that I'd written disappeared, forever, as the person on the account holding the photos I'd written to deleted their accounts.
Very Zen, that.
Anyway, if you're interested, this is the collection (with a bit of a description or title on the photos involved) of the ones I wrote. I suppose I could include links. However, that seems like too much work, on the spur of a moment when I reviewed them and before heading out to feed teh Ranch this chilly morning.
( Haiku. Or Senryuu. Rather a number of them... )