diagnosis
Randy Brooks
March 21, 2025
deepening winter
- By Michael Dylan Welch
- Haiku
- 6 Comments
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6 thoughts on “deepening winter”
Moved me so much. I always love your work, Michael. That light sticks with me.
This is a ‘wow’ haiku as in an a-ha moment.
Moving but not the 5 7 5 required to be a haiku
Roger, 5-7-5 applies to the sounds (not syllables) counted in Japanese haiku. For English, 5-7-5 syllables is an urban myth, despite how widely haiku is taught that way. There are many essays online to explain this misunderstanding, which not only produces a poem significantly longer than haiku in Japanese but also obscures more important targets such as the kigo (season word) and equivalents to the kireji (cutting word) that divides the poem into two parts. The Haiku Society of America, Haiku Canada, the British Haiku Society, and dozens of leading haiku journals in English (Modern Haiku, Frogpond, Heron’s Nest, and so many more) favour haiku that are typically shorter than 5-7-5. I invite you to study haiku more deeply, perhaps starting with “Becoming a Haiku Poet” and other essays at https://www.graceguts.com/further-reading.
That’s very moving. A whole story in so few words. I always enjoy your haiku Michael.
This is moving on so many levels. Thank you. I continue to think of the light that turned out.