Ian Turner treats us to a collection of his haiku poems, inspired by the P-O


Winter in the Pyrenees Orientales

the tramontane roars
sleeping soundly
the cat with fleas

***

in zizzy heat
the blue dragonfly
a faint hint of moon

***

humid garrigue
on and off the vintners’ trail
a svelte buck flits

***

wide open sky
a clocher peals waves
of wind warped time

***

clamouring traffic
speckled rivulet fish
barely moving

***

espresso with bonbons
local fashionistas
hold sway

***

yet more protests
riot police greet each other
on both cheeks

***

winter sales
rugby fans booze throatily
in skimpy away kit

***

apéro hubbub
a freckled gecko
casts a faint shadow

Moment, by Ian Turner, published by Les Presses Littéraires, An anthology of 368 haiku poems composed in Britain, Europe, and Japan, €10 + €3 postage — enquire turnerian14@gmail.com

Dogs Tooth Peak & all Things Canigou

The haiku

A haiku is a short, unrhymed poem that follows a specific three-line, seventeen-syllable format. it originated in Japan.

The first line is five syllables
The second line is seven syllables
The third line is five syllables

They are traditionally about nature and the changing seasons.

They don’t rhyme and have not capital letters.

Whilst the spirit of these guidelines are generally followed, modern haiku poets no longer adhere slavishly to them.
They find exact syllable counting too restricting.
So the emphasis is on lyrical expression.
Also, although most haiku still have natural subjects, a haiku may be about anything at all now.
Any experience or observation which moves a poet may become a haiku.

Why not have a go at writing one of your own?

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