Modern Haikus - A Whole New Breed

Modern haikus are in the process of evolvingWe are in the process of creating a whole new
from an ancient lineage, into a separate andworld, where our very existence is changing by
unique new species. Using this intricatelyleaps & bounds. We'll find the need to pause,
structured format, we can find a modern disciplineto contemplate this expanding universe of ours,
that is both detailed, and unfettered, at the sameand a modern haiku can be the perfect brush to
time. Allow me to explain.use on this quickly streaming canvas.
Originally, the "traditional" haikus, had been a partHaikus require an author to dispense with a lot of
of much longer poems. (The "modern" haiku, wasthe extras, ... "let's just get right to it". You only
just emerging at the turn of the 20th Century.)have 17 syllables, to tell a story, so you'd better
As they morphed away from the longer pieces,choose your words carefully. That doesn't mean
into a separate poetry format, the emphasis onjust any old words, that fit the form, will do. This
being a complete picture became even moreis where the crafting comes in. You may have to
important. They had to stand alone, as anspend quite a lot of your time trying out words,
individual statement, ... observation, ... thought.to see how they look/feel together. If you keep
Beyond the physical presentation (3 lines, 17in mind, there's a certain rhythm & beat in
syllables), all of the "traditional" haikus had to behaikus, that will help narrow down your choices.
about Nature. Thousands of years of traditional(Sometimes, it helps to say it out loud, to see
writings, were based on the recognition ofhow the piece flows.) Hopefully, artistic inspiration
Nature's mirroring reflection, in our various humanwill come over and sit down beside you, to help
situations. It was the best, universally understood,decide the right combinations for your particular
example available to them. However, at the same"snapshot of life". Just like a photo, a haiku can
time haikus were breaking away from theircapture a multitude of moments. It's simply up to
ancient cocoons, our world was entering into aeach author, as to where you point your lens.
quickly evolving era.So if you want to comment on life using a Nature
Think about it. We have seen our life'stheme (like the "traditional" haikus), then please, be
parameters jump, from horseless carriages tomy guest. But if you need to focus on modern
space exploration, within just a few generations.tales of computers and traffic jams, this form of
Our grandparents spent quite a lot of their time,poetry will easily handle that too. Our mercurial
just doing everyday chores that were necessaryworld is constantly bombarding us with countless
for their existence. After volunteering as auntold stories (both outer and inner), and a good
"working history" blacksmith docent, I becamehaiku will simply help us find a way, of passing
very aware of how much time modernalong that very human experience. These "poetic
conveniences have freed up in our daily lives.genetics" are breeding a whole new generation of
When was the last time you made candles forartistic creativity, and we need not be limited by
light, instead of flipping a switch? We no longerthe constraints of the past, ... we are only limited
spend all day finding, preparing, and consumingby the boundaries of our own imagination.
food. (The people at several local take-outHAIKUS
windows, can readily verify this in my case.)Precise vignettes of
Instead of taking hours to make some nails for aA moment in time, captured
home repair, we spend 20 minutes at the localIn minimal words.
hardware store, and are finished with the whole~ B.
project by dinner.