Haiku #2, Haiku #3

Some things I learned in the past week about traditional haikus:

1, they typically avoid metaphors and similes, or figurative language in general.

2, since they’re focused on nature, they tend not to include people. Or people related things.

So many things I am learning, including that my haikus need work.

Yay for revising, right?

Maybe I will go back to the haikus I’ve already posted, and rewrite them into better ones.

Anyway, here is my haiku #2:

Hope is the anchor
holding this boat in the storm--
tossed by waves, unmoved. 

5, 7, 5 syllables: check

English punctuation: check (I even used a dash! Wow!)

Seasonal reference: nope.

No figurative language: uh, this whole thing is a metaphor for hope being an anchor in the storms of life. So no.

Focus on nature/no human elements: sort of? There’s a storm and an ocean, that’s very nature-y, but there’s also a boat, and an anchor. So…42.4%? That sounds accurate.

Haiku #3:

Thread through thick soil, roots.
Water awaits. Go drink it.
Raindrops in deserts.

5, 7, 5 syllables: check

English punctuation: check

Seasonal reference: vaguely? Wet season in the desert, that should count as a season.

No figurative language: shockingly, I don’t think there’s any figurative language in this haiku. Of course, you could interpret the roots seeking out water in a desert as a comparison for us having to seek out hope during difficult times. But that’s totally up to interpretation.

Focus on nature/no human elements: roots. Desert. Water. No human elements here!

…Oh wait a sec. Does personification count? (see: “Go drink it.”) Oh no. Personification is figurative language too. AAAAH.

I guess this haiku doesn’t follow the structure quite as well as I thought…

Well. That’s all for this week! Next week I’m going to look at haiku #4, and point out intentional things I did with the structure. Adios!