The Haiku Blues ~ The Divorce Blues

I love the haiku format. It is very symmetrical, terse, and disciplined. The brevity of syllables forces one to think hard and deep to find exactly the right words to convey the feeling and irony inside.

But, frankly, I get tired of reading more than a few haikus before I lose my train of thought or reflection. Traditional content of haikus seem to trail off into space and leave it ALL up t the reader to insert his or her meaning into those 17 syllables. That’s fine for most, but not for me.

As a modern American haiku writer, who owes much to Basho’s creativity and creation, I have decided to modify the traditional form in a number of ways. That also seems to fit something I read online a few years ago about the haiku form, and it was: There are no rules. I think there are, but they can be modified to keep to the essence thereof. Here are the changes I have incorporated into my style.

(1) I give them titles related to the subject matter.

(2) They have a point, although there is more than enough space in them for the reader to make each meaningful to her or himself as s/he deems useful or beautiful or spiritual.

(3) I do like rhyme and use it when I can find a good one.

(4) I also like word play: puns, anagrams, and the like and use them when they come to me.

(5) I have tried to invent a new form of haiku that piles one upon another as verses. Several of them are sprinkled throughout the book.

So, I hope you enjoy The Haiku Blues, an Americanized style of haiku that I hope a lot of people can enjoy and enrich their lives and souls.

WARNING!

My haiku are not safe for everyone. Beware of reading taking too much in at one time... as they that may cause sudden drowsiness, insomnia or both. It may also lead to intellectual hiccups; wild euphoria; transference of emotions; political dyspepsia; symptoms of Tourette’s Syndrome; and/or a rude spiritual awakening.