Poetry Friday — Haiku

I’m off for a school visit with second graders, so my own personal haiku will have to wait ’til a little later this afternoon. In the meantime, if you’d like to catch up on the daily haiku I’ve been composing all month, click here and scroll backwards. I’ve been having the best time with this lovely little form.

And then go enjoy this short video of Robert Hass reading his translations of Issa’s haiku at the Dodge Poetry Festival awhile back. It is DELIGHTFUL! The thing I love so much about this clip is the humor in every breath. Who knew haiku could be so funny? Partly, it’s Hass’ wry delivery, to be sure, but it is also the genius of the form that such a close observation of almost anything is either heartbreaking or hilarious.

Happy Friday, friends, and namaste.

8 Responses to “Poetry Friday — Haiku”

  1. cloudscome

    I am at school and I think the video is blocked so I will have to come back later to listen. I love Issa and get a daily Issa haiku emailed to me by http://cat.xula.edu/issa/. One of my favorites of his is the one “don’t worry spiders/I keep house/casually”. It’s true for me!