Haiku

Having not had an opportunity to get back into the studio to start on some more serious practical work I have at least found time to be creative with words. I have been composing a few Haiku in direct response to my walks in the countryside during November and December. I have used a traditional and common format of 5/7/5 syllables.

Strong high chill still tree
Fluttering blacks weaving
One buttercup glimpsed

Misty milk half moon
Crazy white lined ice puddles
Low dazzling sun

Milky ice furrows
Tread white line crazy paving
Birds and water sing

The two below were in response to the first snow that fell over the hills surrounding the city of Bath

Matisse random white
Paper cuts below black lace
Fan horizon line

White paper cut shapes
Icing sugar furrowed fields
Black fan horizon

The haiku below were created some time ago in response to some small ink drawings.  Presented in book form of 10cm x 10cm exploring the juxtaposition of images and words.  A Japanese aesthetic was referenced for book cover and end papers with designs on cloth and paper using a callagraphic line design. This is an approach that I may experiment and develop further within my practice. Responding to images with words adds yet another dimension embracing and extending our sensibility to a particular work.

White Mountain

High mighty serene

Dark storm descending above

Start straight surface marks

Terraced Fields

Orderly layers

Planting nurturing living

Sun rain life man's marks

Winding Path

Footsteps light soft hard

Intervention on land

Up down straight curved marks

These first tentative steps into creating haiku were in response to nature and man's making of marks on the land.  I do not feel confident in how well they portray a feeling.  These are more about a visual response communicated in words. The response is to the marks of an abstract image, composing and using words which give a more literal and representational understanding .  In comparison my recent poems hopefully conjure up a more emotional feeling and atmosphere that can be related to an experience.