No Rules Haiku and Tanka……

 

Something New!  Over at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai Chevrefeuille is running a no rules challenge.  Like Basho said: “Learn the Rules, then immediately forget them and write from the heart.  Unfortunately, most modern haiku and tanka writers don’t LEARN the rules.  LOL!  These are rather free for all pieces, with kigo words, etc.  Nope, couldn’t do it. Once you learn something about writing haiku and tanka, it’s damn hard to do it without kigo.

Lady Nyo

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Haiku….with kigo.

I chase one red leaf

Across dry and brittle grass

Juice of summer gone.

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Frosty autumn night

The moon glides through chilly dreams

Red Maple stands sentry.

 

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These next five are haiku without kigo.  

 

Under the dark moon

I awaited your return

Only shadows came.

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The moon, a ghostly

Sliver, sails on a jet sea

Wild dogs howl beneath.

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The soil our bed

Our classroom and our graves.

Reborn to the world.

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Childhood is tough

Adults are the enemy

Kids fodder for wars

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Imagination

Such a fragile thing.

Child’s salvation

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Tanka…. With kigo….

Autumn wind startles–
Lowered to an ominous
Key—Ah! Mournful sounds!
The fat mountain deer listen-
Add their bellowing sorrow.

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I wander the fields

Snow covers the barren soil

Sharp wind plays pan pipes

A murder of crows huddle

Black laughing fruit hang from limbs 

(Kigo word is interesting.  Using snow as a kigo is rather obvious.  Kigo should infer a season.  Snow hits you over the head.)

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And one without….

How could I forget
The beauty of the pale moon!
A face of sorrow
Growing thin upon the tide
Pulls my heart within its light.

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Jane Kohut-Bartels

Copyrighted, 2017

 

Tags: carpe diem haiku kai, Haiku and Tanka, no rules this time!