It took me a while to come up with my own Haiku using this week’s words: gift and shake for our weekly poetry challenge. Synonyms only, so I used alms for gift, and flits for shake.
I chose this image because it adds to the seasonal nature of my Haiku. Not sure how to create a Haiga? Read HERE.
Remember:
The haiku is the most important part and must stand alone. In short, the poem itself must be worthy to be considered independently, before inclusion in a haiga.
Images cannot ‘complete’ the haiku.If the image is necessary to understand the poem, then both the poem and the haiga have failed.
No matter how beautiful an image is, the poem is ‘the thing’ to trigger the reader/viewer in their appreciation of the haiga. If all the image adds is a pretty picture of the poem, but adds no higher level of appreciation to it, then you may as well just publish the poem by itself.
Colleen M. Chesebro is an American Poet who loves crafting paranormal fantasy and magical realism, cross-genre flash fiction, syllabic poetry, and creative nonfiction.
Colleen sponsors a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called Tanka Tuesday, on wordcraftpoetry.com where participants learn how to write traditional and current forms of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, gogyohka, tanka prose, renga, solo-renga, haibun, cinquain, Etheree, nonet, and shadorma poetry.
Colleen's syllabic poetry has appeared in the Auroras & Blossoms Poetry Journal, and in “Hedgerow, a journal of small poems.” She’s won numerous awards from participating in the Carrot Ranch Rodeo, a yearly flash fiction contest sponsored by carrotranch.com. In 2020, she won first place in the Carrot Ranch Folk Tale or Fable category, with her story called “Why Wolf Howls at the Moon.”
Colleen is a Sister of the Fey, where she pursues a pagan path through her writing. When she is not writing, she is reading. She also loves gardening and crocheting old-fashioned doilies into works of art.
View all posts by Colleen M. Chesebro
I haven’t seen them here in Arizona. I thought about using a wood pecker but it didn’t help to associate the seasonal aspect of the Haiku portion. You know I love birds. ❤️
I write the Haiku first. The poem is the most important part… not the image. The image should add something but not explain the poetry. If you can use your own phototgraphs that’s a plus too. Also, many Haiga use an image that has nothing to do with the Haiku – almost like it is an afterthought. I’ll be publishing a book in January that gives each of the poetry forms a deeper look. Hopefully that help with the forms. ❤
Lovely, Colleen!
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Thanks, Merril. Finding the right words was tough. 🤣
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I love seeing cardinals in winter. (K)
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I haven’t seen them here in Arizona. I thought about using a wood pecker but it didn’t help to associate the seasonal aspect of the Haiku portion. You know I love birds. ❤️
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How can we not?
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LOL! Exactly my sentiments!
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Beautiful Colleen 💜
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Thanks, Willow. ❤️
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💜💜
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😁😁😁
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Love this! It reminds me of the berries that hung outside my window here, and watching the birds eat them
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Perfect. I’m glad you have a view, Sis. That’s great. ❤️
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The picture was perfect to go with the haiku. Both were very seasonal and relevant!
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Haifa are fun to compose. The Haiku is straightforward. The photo takes some thought. 🥰
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Do you usually come up with a haiku and find a picture for it, or take/find a picture then write a haiku?
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I write the Haiku first. The poem is the most important part… not the image. The image should add something but not explain the poetry. If you can use your own phototgraphs that’s a plus too. Also, many Haiga use an image that has nothing to do with the Haiku – almost like it is an afterthought. I’ll be publishing a book in January that gives each of the poetry forms a deeper look. Hopefully that help with the forms. ❤
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Ooh, exciting! I’ll be keeping my eye out for that!
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Works perfectly 💜
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Thanks, Sis. ❤️
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Very successful!
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Thanks, Liz. 🥰
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I mentioned you here 🙂 https://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/whistling-in-the-dark/
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Thank you kindly, Jim. Much appreciated. ❤
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I like pointing people to good blogs 🙂
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Thanks, I feel the same way. 🥰
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I’m seeing my cardinals!
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They’re lovely! And seasonal, too. ❤️
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Beautiful, Colleen! 😉
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Beautiful Sis ❤ Having to share to fakebook the long way around because the buttons aren't working for me on anyone's blog 😦
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Oh yikes! 🥰 Thanks for your love. 🥰
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❤
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so cute Colleen. 🙂 x
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Oh, well… you know me an my birds. LOL! 😀 ❤
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Aww how lovely. Xxx
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Beautiful Haiga, Colleen! ❤
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Thanks, Sis. 🥰
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This is beautiful, Colleen.
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Thanks, Robbie. ❤️
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Wonderful Haiku, Colleen!
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Thanks, Mark. Glad you enjoyed. ❤️
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