Candy on her tongue
Sweetness is slowly absorbed
Smile of youth returns
I have been reading several blogs lately where the authors use the short Japanese forms Senryū and Haiku.
I like these forms for their simplicity, but am unsure I completely understand the difference between the two. I am also unsure as to how these forms should be punctuated. Should the first letter of each line be capitalized? Should I use end-line punctuation?
Here is what I got from Wikipedia:
Senryū (literally ‘river willow’) is a Japanese form of short poetry similar to haiku in construction: three lines with 17 or fewer “on” (not syllables) in total. However, senryū tend to be about human foibles while haiku tend to be about nature, and senryū are often cynical or darkly humorous while haiku are more serious. Unlike haiku, senryū do not include a kireji (cutting word), and do not generally include a kigo, or season word.
Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry, consisting of 17 Japanese on (a phonetic unit identical to the mora), in three metrical phrases of 5, 7, and 5 on respectively, and typically containing a kigo, or seasonal reference. In Japanese, haiku are traditionally printed in a single vertical line, while haiku in English usually appear in three lines, to equate to the Japanese haiku’s three metrical phrases.
My first two posts in this blog are my first two attempts at haiku and senryū based on what I have gleaned from Wikipedia and reading other poets’ blogs. I would love to receive any feedback on how you think I did.
Lise.
Capture is a game
A bored, silly girl plays well
Love breaks all the rules
Fearless, we choose love
which spins our uncertain lives
like snowflakes in wind.
