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by pottygok

Posted to Haiku Board on 2004-07-20 12:32:00

Parent message is 683158
“I think each writer has to decide which of the many rules to follow or not. And our degree of tolerance for understanding and accepting when another author has different rules is one of the lessons we need to practice as our world grows smaller.”

While I respect what Jane’s saying, I still say there’s a point at which letting go of too many rules destroys the form. Be it with metaphor or not. Again, I believe metaphor can exist in haiku, just not directly as in other poetry.

“In haiku the two portions of the metaphor / simile are usually not connected with “like” or “as” (although in several of Basho’s haiku he does use these expressions) but the elements of the metaphor are simply set down in their clearest, most elementary expression, usually in juxtaposition tied together by a verb or third image.”

Yes, exactly. I believe I said something similar in response to the original posting. However, I think, again, that a strong juxtaposition, while it can imply a metaphor, can simply be a strong juxtaposition and just that. And to quote old masters, well, as Jane says “It is very well known that non-Japanese haiku ARE different from those written in Japanese…”

However, you provide excellent examples of English haiku with metaphor. While they are not to my taste, for reasons outside the metaphor, I’m sure somebody likes them.

As for your ‘ku:

>rufus hummingbird
>guards the feeder-
>pigs can fly!

I’m not getting the juxtaposition, or the metaphor, if you will…Though it could be my own ignorance. Please explain.