Haiku and Poetry

Last Sunday I took a Haiku class my friend was hosting. I found out a lot about writing Japanese Poems spun in an American context. I also found out I suck at writing them. 

I have a love/hate relationship with the concept of a haiku. 

Spiritually speaking I love the notion that profound, meaningful things can be said in a metaphorical sense in a short span of space.

Practically speaking, I hate the notion that not enough is able to be said when the space is too limiting and the medium does not allow enough room for the right words to be understood.

The Bible is full over poetic verses that say deep things in well placed words. 
Short lines of wisdom -like a quote.
There are also other spiritual references made from other cultures along the same lines that reiterate that point. So the goal is noble, but the form the Haiku tends to take is not necessarily conducive to this practice unless it comes naturally to you.

Things I learned about the nature of the Haiku poem:

Typically, at least in the English version, a Haiku is 3 lines. 
The first line contains 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line has 5 syllables. 
Each line contains 3 seemingly un-related thoughts that tie in together in a surprising, insightful way at the end.

Line 1 starts with a concept -usually small and descriptive. 
Line 2 Is the Link between Line 1 and 3.
Line 3 brings clarity and revelation to the poem, making it a bigger picture than it was to begin with. 

The themes of most Haikus are: Universal concepts, spirituality, human nature, nature itself, peace, wisdom...
It's like Buddhism in a lot of ways. Each line paints a descriptive scene -usually involving nature- that conveys an emotion or a thought. These poems don't rhyme, but can have words that flow smoothly together. Often drawing from personal experience, these poems give insight into deeper, greater experiences. 

I'm a very conceptual person, so for me it was easy coming up with a theme, bigger idea, notion, and experience. But it wasn't easy for me to convey it emotionally or vividly in a metaphorical way. I started by just listing out my main points -split in 3 sections (representing Lines 1, 2, and 3). Each "Line" subject head then had a list of thoughts associated with that subject. I was just jotting down thoughts that were coming to me. 

My first Haiku was going to be about "Calling" -like you're life's purpose. Something everyone has AND everyone struggles with. Here were my notes:

Calling (Line 1)
Purpose/Fulfilled
Desire/Passion
Instinct
Soul

Life Gets in the Way (Line 2)
Distracted
Re-Directed
Traded Away
Stolen by Giving What Isn't
Spread Too Thin
What's left
Lost self 

Finds Its Way (Line 3)
Seeps in/out
Returns to shore
Found in giving
Given by taking
Time in doing
Time in being
Peace in finding
Truth in knowing


In terms of metaphors that came to me to articulate what I was feeling and trying to express, I got:

1. Baking Food
Starts out with dough (the given, like the calling, can't be changed). Intended to be baked for one thing, but the ingredients are handed over and used to make something else. Supporting someone else's masterpiece dish instead of embodying one of your own. Being spread too thin like dough. Yet somehow the taste comes out the same. Like no matter how many ways you are seemingly "removed" from your calling, it is so much a part of who you are that it still manages to come out. 

2. Answering a Call 
My shot at the Haiku itself went thusly: 

"Inner Voice You Hear,
The Call is Put on Hold,
It Still Speaks Through Your Soul" 

Not bad, but kind of made it in about 60 seconds, so it could be better. 

3.Mirror 
Did not develop this very thoroughly, just liked the notion since mirrors reflect truth. 

4. The Ocean
Because waves have their own nature and eventually find their way back to shore. It was a "naturey" a metaphor as I could come to. 

The next Haiku I wanted to start was also similar in theme. 

Found in Being Lost (Line 1)
Cycle
Realization
Filled/Purpose
Enjoy
Breathing
Living
At Peace
Complete
Whole

Stagnate (Line 2)
Lost light 
Empty
Faked/ Counterfeit Fate 
No lying to Truth
No finding when Lost
Trying only
Grasping
Nothing

Accept (Line 3)
It is
So let it be
Just do
Give is the only way
All you can do
Is be
Lost

This Haiku didn't get any further than this.
My friend was also kind enough to hand us out a sheet of columns and tables to collect words that we liked the sound of. The first column of rows was for 1 syllable words, then2, then 3, then 4, and then 5+ syllables.

Words I collected during this session were sort of telling in some ways...

Grasp
Quiet
Shallow 
Whispering
Haunt
Softly
Slowly

Anyways, it was an interesting session. I'd like to make poems, I don't think they will be Haiku-style though.