Poets and Poems: Steven Flint Embraces Haikus

Just by the sound of the word, we know that the poetry form of haiku originated in Japan. Originally, it wasn’t a standalone form but rather the opening (hokku) of a larger poem. Over time, it began to be used as a poem in and of itself. The form uses three lines of poetry, 17 syllables in all, in a 5-7-5 structure.  

One of its best-known practitioners was the Japanese poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694). He often employed a kireji, a “cutting” word (we might say “centering”) and a seasonal reference, called a kigo.

 

Traditionalists will argue that haiku poems should be about nature, but once the form reached English and other languages, the range of themes expanded accordingly. Today, a poem on whatever subject is called a haiku if it follows the 5-7-5 syllable structure.

 

I’d been charmed by the fable The Sun and the Boy by poet Steven Flint, and I decided to take a look at his poetry. What I discovered was that he had more than 30 collections of haiku. I read three of them, and I find myself equally charmed.

To continue reading, please see my post today at Tweetspeak Poetry.

Some Tuesday Readings

 

Finding Meaning in the Madness of War – Phil Klay at The Free Press.

 

Lifeboat – poem by Franco Amati at Garbage Notes.

 

“What the Thrush Said,” poem by John Keats – Sally Thomas at Poems Ancient and Modern.

 

Graduation – poem by Pasquale Trozzolo at Every Day Poems.

 

Parable of the Interior – poem by Scott Cairns at Rabbit Room Poetry.

Poets and Fables: Steven Flint and “The Sun and the Boy”

It begins with the boy slowly waking up and welcomed by the rays of his much-loved friend, the Sun. While not noted, it’s assumed that they know each other well and have had previous adventures together. This day the adventure will be a swim. 

As always, in addition to the adventure, the Sun tells the boy a story. The stories are like fables, running the human qualities good and bad, each with an obvious moral. This day, the story is about pride, and how a sunflower listens so deeply to the flattery of a snake that he forgets his closest friend, the rose.

To continue reading, please see my post today at Tweetspeak Poetry.

Some Thursday Readings

 

The Abolition of the Human – Jeremiah Webster at Front Porch Republic.

 

A Review of Matters for You Alone: Poems by Leslie Williams – Carla Sarett at New Verse Review.

 

Death, be not proud – poem by John Donne at Rabbit Room Poetry.

 

Shakespearean Philosophy – Br. John Metilly at The Imaginative Conservative. 

 

Poet Laura: Poetry in Space – Sandra Fox Murphy at Tweetspeak Poetry.