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THINKING IN HAIKU -
The essense of haiku (haiki is the singular term), that very early form of poety perfected by the Japanese, is image.
In traditional haiku, the poet succinctly offers three images, each one on a separate line of characters. The Japanese formula was to use 17 mora (a unit of language sound): 5 on the first line, 7 on the second line and 5 on the last line. The poems considered Nature and the human condition, but didn't philosophize overtly. Each poem also suggested (again without directly stating) the season of the year.
As a side note, American haiku is much less rigidly constructed and focuses on expressiveness.
With traditional haiku, rather than the poet pontificating about the "meaning" of a scene, it is up to the reader to give meaning to the trio of thoughts. The simplest way to think about this kind of poetry is to choose three natural objects such as water, bird and cloud. Now, consider: What does each image remind you of? What do they suggest when presented together? Can you use these in a haiki?
While writing haiku is a lesson in concise expression with an eye for natural beauty, it is also good practice in allowing the reader to make connections. We can also use the technique of haiku in free verse poems by putting extra effort into images...and less time into telling the reader what to think of our images!
SOUNDING IT OUT -
One of the things that makes poetry unique is its special emphasis on sound - poetry is both a written and oral art form!
For impact, poets may use repeated vowels, consonants and words. Poems may also feature sounds that convey feelings: "ooo" sounds lend mystery, letters like "g" and "k" can suggest a hardness, and the long "i" sounds sharp. There are also the actual sounds of things: buzz, knock, tap. There may also be a percussive rhythm through meter or pauses. In any poem, there is room for revision using sound. Read through a poem you have written. Pay special attention to a few words you feel are important to the impact of the poem. Can you replace other words with ones which will repeat or echo the sounds of your impact words? Also notice if repeated vowel sounds add to or take away from the tone you are hoping to convey with your poem. Finally, try using repetition of letters, sounds, words and phrases to emphasis the sounds you want your readers to hear.
Poetry is meant to be read out loud. As you write your own poems, be sure to Sound Them Out!
A DIFFERENT PERSONA -
A persona poem is one in which attention is paid to the persona: the voice speaking.
The persona of a poem can be the poet or some other identity (another person or even a thing) that the poet has chosen to speak through. That chosen persona is revealed by what the speaker says and also by how he/she says it (the poem’s voice). Vocabulary, attitude, topics, slang and phrasing all contribute to voice. Another aspect closely related to persona is place. Descriptions, references to events and subject matter all help show the reader place — where and when the poem is happening.
Often a persona poem directly addresses the reader in a conversation with the reader as in a play (dramatic) or a speech (monologue) talking to himself or using the reader as audience. Those persona poems use first or second person: “I” and “me” or “us” and “we.” Other persona poems are in third person but have a specific persona's point of view.
Writing persona poems can be valuable in many ways. They help develop the skills of voice (how to sound like ourselves or our chosen character), of place (how to paint a picture for the reader) and, most importantly, of empathy (how to imagine the feelings of another person/thing).
Here are some questions to ask when trying to determine or create the persona of a poem:
Who is speaking? How do you know?
What words, phrases, slang, attitudes, patterns of speech indicate the voice?
What descriptions and details indicate the place or time or persona?
What is the speaker trying to say? What do they want you to think or feel?
How is the persona different than the actual writer/poet?
Here are some ideas for writing interesting persona poems:
Use your own voice when you were younger.
Write in the character of a family member or friend.
Speak as though you were a historical figure.
Imagine the voice of a place or thing.
Write as if you were someone you don’t like or don’t agree with.
Take on the persona of someone deceased.
You can even considering speaking as God!
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