14 votes

Friday haiku challenge

I used to work at Amazon, and one of their internal "chatter" mailing lists had a tradition that every Friday people would write haiku, often about how their week went, or something in the news, or just something random. Going to try to resurrect that here.

If you want lines to color within, the "normal" requirements for a haiku are:

The essence of haiku is "cutting" (kiru). This is often represented by the juxtaposition of two images or ideas and a kireji ("cutting word") between them, a kind of verbal punctuation mark which signals the moment of separation and colours the manner in which the juxtaposed elements are related.

Traditional haiku often consist of 17 on (also known as morae though often loosely translated as "syllables"), in three phrases of 5, 7, and 5 on, respectively.

A kigo (seasonal reference), usually drawn from a saijiki, an extensive but defined list of such terms.

But of course often the 5-7-5 syllable structure is the only part used in Westernized haiku. Feel free to follow the guidelines above as narrowly or as loosely as you want.

6 comments

  1. kfwyre
    Link
    morning cup warms hands hiding from the summer sun dog sleeps calm and close

    morning cup warms hands
    hiding from the summer sun
    dog sleeps calm and close

    6 votes
  2. vili
    Link
    House echoes silence Now our cat's no longer here -- Outside, sun wilts lawn

    House echoes silence
    Now our cat's no longer here --
    Outside, sun wilts lawn

    6 votes
  3. moocow1452
    Link
    I want a burger, But I also want Chinese, Time to put on pants.

    I want a burger,
    But I also want Chinese,
    Time to put on pants.

    5 votes
  4. eddielomax
    Link
    Another Monday. So much to do-- little time. Is it Friday yet?

    Another Monday.
    So much to do-- little time.
    Is it Friday yet?

    4 votes
  5. 3d12
    Link
    It's been hot as balls Even with AC blazing Still sweating naked

    It's been hot as balls
    Even with AC blazing
    Still sweating naked

    3 votes
  6. psi
    Link
    Yes! Huzzah! IT LIVES! Wait -- fuck. Scratch that, still broken. Better make some tea.

    Yes! Huzzah! IT LIVES!
    Wait -- fuck. Scratch that, still broken.
    Better make some tea.

    2 votes