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Haiku - Long and Short


By

C.A. DuChane



SMASHWORDS EDITION


Published by C.A. DuChane at Smashwords



Haiku – Long and Short

Copyright 2010 C.A. DuChane



License Notes:


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Visit This Author At


Deviantart: www.touchpad.deviantart.com

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/deathwitness



ISBN: 978-1-4524-1235-1


Dedicated to my mother and all the strange wondrous things

that inspire me each day.



Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Forward

Free Form

-Toy Boat

-Turning

-Pebbles

-Jedi’s

-Sprain

-Procrastination

-Watching

-My Way

-The Doll

-Touch

-Glass

-Treasure And Lost Things

-Iron Cross

-The Roach

-Welcome Cookie

-Balance

-In The Palm Of My Hands

-The Flask

-Blood Rose

-Delivery

-Garden

-Mother

Long Form

-Ambrosia

-Champion

-Wolf

-Pride

-Cold Hands

-Sleep

-Will Be…

-Ring Ring

-Gore

-Exhausted

-Ice

-Loss

-Cats And Dogs



Acknowledgements



It is important to understand that most creative works do not just spring to life from no where. They are the product of their creators good and bad experiences, whims, and fancies. The author’s fundamental nature; if you will.


First off, I’d like to say thank you to everyone that purchased this book, and investing a little bit of time into reading my first book, nay my first published work. It’s because of readers in the first place that I love to write. I write to amuse others almost as much as to amuse myself.


Also, I’d like to thank my mother for keeping me grounded, my father for allowing me to gripe, my sister for her warm smile, my friends for their continuing support, and the world at large for it’s willingness to put up with my all too abstract behavior.


Finally, I’d like to thank computers for allowing me to achieve the small dream of becoming a published author.



Forward



In the following book you will find a small collection of the haikus I have written, most of which are featured on my deviant art page (touchpad.deviantart.com), I hope you will enjoy them.


There really isn't as much that goes into writing haikus as some authors would have you think. There are a few things to know about my haikus and that is that they are both wrong and fun.


Traditionally a haiku is made of 17 symbol sounds, not quite the same as syllables. In fact many other western haiku poets use less then 17 syllables in order to reflect this fact. A single sound counts as one out of the total 17 while as a long sound (like oo) counts as two; even though, a word like soothing is only two syllables for a tradition haiku it would count as 3(at least) symbol sounds in a more traditional haiku. I opt to use the full 17 syllables in the classic 5-7-5 symmetry, because it allows for a greater level of expression, and in the end the main point of poetry is to allow the author the ability of free expression.


Also, almost all traditional eastern haikus also have the follow three things in common:


The Breaking Phrase - a line (either beginning, middle, or end) that breaks up the common thread or thought between the other two lines

I try to do this as often as I can. It is a major part of what give a haiku its eastern feel.


An indication of season or time of the year or day - This is a little restriction I often forget. Most haiku has this, or have a word that expresses the feeling a season gives. Examples include heat, warm, love for summer, or cold, bitter, foreboding for winter. Personally, and partially do to my abstract nature, I have trouble remembering this, but it is still an important part of haiku.


Form - They are mostly written vertically from top to bottom, right to left. Seeing as I read horizontality left to write; I find it easier to write in much the same manner. I believe it prevents me from suffering an aneurysm.


Now, something uncommon and not traditional that I do with haiku is something I've dubbed the long form. The long form haiku is a longer poem in which I repeat the haiku three line symmetry of 5-7-5 until I'm satisfied with the poem...its really multiple haiku poems sharing a common thread and one and only one title. An examples of the long form haiku maybe found in my gallery (touchpad.deviantart.com). My personal favorites are Ice, Exhausted, and Gore, but I maybe bias.

Sorry for the crash course, but now you know more about haiku then most people, and how I keep them fun to read and write.


Haiku – Long and Short


Free Form



Toy Boat


A Boat in Water

Flow with the Ebbs and Rapids

Enjoy the Journey



Turning


Thing are Changing Now

The Sun Plays Later Each Day

Warmth Is Coming Soon



Pebbles


Road under My Feet

Reaching Up To Support Me

Off On a Journey



Jedi's


Mysterious Men

With No Fear, Love, Or Anger

Force Others, Mind Tricks



Sprain


Eyes Crossed In Great Pain

I Cannot Put Weight On It

It’s Broken My Sprain



Procrastination


Unable To Finish

There Is A Job To Be Done

And No Want To Start



Watching


I’m Tied To My Stoop

Growling At The Passers By

They Can Not Come In



My Way


Pout Little Child

Finish All Your Vegetables

You Can’t Have Desert



The Doll


Black Button Eyes Spy

Stealing The Unhappy Moments

A Cute Duplicate



Touch


Alone By Myself

Longing For Human Contact

No One I Can Touch



Glass


Broken Glass Shattered

Brandy Spilled On The Tile Floor

Tossed Aside And Lost



Treasure And Lost Things


Buried Under Filth

Carries Precious Memories

It’s Another Mans Trash



Iron Cross


A Cold Cement Cell

My Ankle Chained To The Wall

Iron Cross Judges Me



The Roach


It’s Looking For Food

Black Shelled Beast Scurries About

But Ends Up A Stain



Welcome Cookie


Melty Chocolate

Greeting Wary Travelers

Wish I Had Some Milk



Balance


It’s Not About Right

For Us Exists A Fine Line

It’s Not About Wrong



In The Palm Of My Hands


My Heart Aches For You

A Strong Burning In My Chest

It Belongs To You



The Flask


Its Contents Warm Me

Alcohol Soothes My Madness

On Cold Winter Nights



Blood Rose


Thorns Pierce Deep Through Skin

A Sweet Life Slowly Springs Forth

Drink Dark Blood Red Rose



Delivery


Calling A Restaurant

In Thirty Minutes Or Less

Hot and Delicious



Garden


Spring Breeze Cools The Air

The Petals Dance In The Fields

Children Pursue Them



Mother


Caring And Loving

All Welcomed Into Her Heart

So Sweet And Tender



Long Form



Ambrosia


Taste Of Everything

The Sweetness Of Summer Wine

Overwhelming Me


Bottles Emptiness

Ambrosia Meant For Gods

It Seduces You



Champion


Heavy Red Gloves Strike

Ferocity Of The Fight

Feeling Sore And Bruised


In the Roped In Cage

Each Struggling For The Belt

Scent Of Victory


Challenge Each Other

Meeting the Brink Of Danger

The Strong Taste Of Blood


Their Fists Connecting

With Heavily Trained Muscle

Steady Ringing Sound


Bell Sounding the Rounds

Battle Till One Can’t Get Up

Seeing The Bright Lights



The Wolf


Was Walking The Old Path

Ivory Teeth In A Wide Grin

When I Met Him There


He Offered Sweet Lies

In Exchange For Parts Of Me

Rolling Like Honey


He Checked My Parcel

Asked Of My Destination

And I Lied To Him


No Meal Would I Play

Another May Come This Way

But I’m Not, Wolf’s Pray



Pride


Knowing Your Own Strengths

A Feeling Wells Up Inside

Don’t Get A Big Head


Pride Can Be A Strength

Helping You Make Smart Choices

Can Help You Stand Tall

Or It’s A Weakness

Blinding You To Shortcomings

Be Weary Of Pride



Cold Hands


Smooth Practitioner

Meeting With Her Is Awkward

She Leaves Me Waiting


She Asks How I’ve Been

But Does She Really Know Me

It Has Been A Year


Tells Me To Undress

And To Wear What She Provides

I Ask No Questions


She Probes With Questions

And Her Soft Small Icy Hands

A Thorough Exam


I Breathe For Her Now

Subject To Her Instruments

Testing All Of Me


It’s A Good Visit

See her Once In Awhile

My Private Doctor



Sleep


It Is Bed Time Now

But He Doesn’t Wanna Sleep


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