As usual, the essence of haiku includes the juxtaposition of two elements, oftentimes with a kireji, or "cutting word" separating the two images or ideas. In English, this kireji is usually marked by punctuation, but sometimes it is simply implied by the structure of the verse. It's purpose is to bridge the thematic elements in the poem, linking observation with experience. Most haiku deal with an observation of some fleeting experience in nature.
Another key element is the kijo, or "seasonal word." this is used to subtly express the time of year in which the poem takes place. For example, in Japan, cherry blossoms are a common Spring kigo as they represent the blossoming of the cherry tree in early spring. Sometimes these kijo are very subtle, or embedded in cultural references but I try to include them in every poem.
Here is a selection of haiku that I wrote on October 22, 2012:
won't sleep tonight -
shooting stars
in autumn sky
...
summer musings -
waking drunk
two moons tonight
...
yellow leaf falls
silently
onto cool grass
...
summer longings
fade away -
days get shorter
...autumn evening -
sipping wine
as night comes on
...
golden treeline -
showered by
the western sun
...
why are you out
so early,
autumn crescent?
...
what is that sound?
cicadas
startle my cat
...
waiting for stars -
geese call out
in autumn night
...
the storm passed through,
turning fall
into winter
...
singing cricket,
where is your
sense of humor?
...
returning home,
first snowfall
of the season
...
hearing good news -
suddenly
the clouds vanish
...
frozen teardrops,
as I gaze
into bleak skies
...
February -
long lost dreams
follow me home
...
January
twenty-fifth -
childhood ends
Felix Gervits
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