that boy I once loved
is the man I still love...
warmth of the far sun
DW Bender
Haiku, February 12, 2008
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
How to Haiku: In 2001, I wrote a lesson-method article for World Haiku Review. Haiku Sketchbook offers beginners in haiku a way which I, myself, use to learn how to haiku from the masters. For this, I recommend studying only Japanese haijin at first. Why? Most of us, in beginner's ignorance are not writing haiku (or tanka, senryu, and haibun) at all. If you wish to learn to write haiku, to percieve the spirit of haiku, please do such a "sketchbook" study each day.
8 comments:
Lovely work with lots of valuable information. It's a pleasure to read your blog.
This is a wonderful celebration of love and, therefore, life itself. God bless.
Writing in Faith: Poems
THank you for sharing your writing and knowledge. I enjoy your blog a great deal.
Excellent post, thanks for sharing
Wow, I came expecting a brief haiku "snack" and ended up with a full-course meal! Very enjoyable, thank you. You are a master in your own right.
Thank you, haiku friends, for stopping by and leaving your comments. I can tell from your blog postings that you very much enjoy writing poetry, and want to learn haiku, tanka and haibun.
And so, if you truly love haiku, may I passionately recommend that each of you, who is serious about learning to express yourselves in haiku and other Japanese and Asian poetry genres: do start using the sketchbook lesson. Begin today. By actually studying and "copying" (rather, deconstructing and using the elements to define your own haiku) great Japanese haijin -- you will find it the most powerful tool to transform your perception and understanding of what haiku is - and is not. Then do the same with tanka, or any poem, particularly Asian styles.
Bea, I'm far from being a master haijin. I've been at haiku, tanka, haibun and sijo (a Korean genre) for only about 10 years (and being of American mind, not Japanese or Asian-mind), and must continue studying to learn to percieve and understand. It's the same with any kind of art, as you know with painting and drawing...the learned skills...the practice...the small, bright dawns of understanding and expanding giftedness.
BTW, unless you want to pick up some poor haiku habits, please don't Google for my haiku or tanka poems or haibun: many of my very poor beginner's attempts are all over the public internet through the old Shiki list, etc. Don't try to learn from them or any Western haiku poet (at least, at the beginning of your study), although there are many wonderful Western haijin and haiku abounding. For perhaps at least a year, commit to learn first and foremostly using this kind of study of famous Japanese haijin. Then, then, you will begin to write haiku. As for me, I yet hope to someday write even one memorable haiku worthy of publication. :^D.
before this haiku
I caught a blue buttefly...
to let it go
Debi Bender
Hi Debi, thanks so much for leaving your valuable comment, which in turn brought me here to your page. I intend to pursue the sketchbook, lots of info here and I will be back for more...thanks again. And oh, the haikus here are simply gorgeous love haikus..
Dang. Correction of my typo, 'buttefly'! - I get this mental image of winged buttocks :^):
before this haiku
I caught a blue butterfly...
to let it go
DW Bender
Simply Haiku, November 2003
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