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Writing and Enjoying Haiku: A Hands-on Guide
Writing and Enjoying Haiku shows how haiku can bring a centered, calming atmosphere into one's life, by focusing on the outer realities of life instead of the naggings of the inner mind, by gaining a new appreciation for the world of nature, and by preserving moments, days, and events so that
they are not lost forever in the passage of time. Haiku are clearly shown to be a means of discovering and recording the miracles of the world, from the humorous to the tragic. This is one of the major themes underlying Writing and Enjoying Haiku -that haiku can provide a way to a better life.
After looking at why the reading and writing of haiku is important from a spiritual point of view, the book shows, as has never been done before, the techniques of writing-the when and the where, punctuation and capitalization, choice of words, figures of speech, sharing haiku, and much, much more.
Having come this far, having learned to read and write haiku with a discerning mind, the reader will never again look upon the world in quite the same way.
they are not lost forever in the passage of time. Haiku are clearly shown to be a means of discovering and recording the miracles of the world, from the humorous to the tragic. This is one of the major themes underlying Writing and Enjoying Haiku -that haiku can provide a way to a better life.
After looking at why the reading and writing of haiku is important from a spiritual point of view, the book shows, as has never been done before, the techniques of writing-the when and the where, punctuation and capitalization, choice of words, figures of speech, sharing haiku, and much, much more.
Having come this far, having learned to read and write haiku with a discerning mind, the reader will never again look upon the world in quite the same way.
165 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
11 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 19, 2014
Up until a month ago my understanding of Haiku really didn’t reach much further than what I was taught in grade school some … an awful long time ago. This changed when I decided to undertake some self education for the purpose of the Post-it Note Poetry event held every February by members of my writing group. I was determined to learn a bit more about the form, surely it was not just 5-7-5 syllables .
It wasn’t, as it turns out. There’s an ocean of information out there on how you can / “should” write Haiku. Indeed I found myself getting distracted and lost, there’s just so much great material in the rabbit warren of early nineties Haiku pages to be had - freely posted for enthusiasts to read and experiment with.
Indeed I noted several articles that made their way in altered form into Writing and Enjoying Haiku. What this book presents though, is a nice neat package with just the right amount of information to get you started and to not look terribly ignorant when unleashing your compact wisdom on the public.
Chapter one gives the reader an understanding of what a Haiku is, and how to go about reading and understanding them. There’s a backgrounder on the history and development of the form in both Japan and the rest of the world. It was here I think that I realised that while I may be able to read the works of Masters like Basho, without some deeper cultural understandings of Japanese literature I will miss allusions and references. Haiku can be every bit as dense, as deep, as Shakespeare.
Chapter two on writing Haiku is worth the price of admission by itself. Here Reichhold breaks down, with examples drawn from the masters, as well as current Haiku poets, the 24 techniques that you can employ in writing haiku. She also canvases the “rules” that can and have applied at different times and at the behest of certain schools or masters. What I found particularly refreshing about Reichhold is her focus on technique and her relaxed and sensible approach to using them. For some Haiku poets the experience of writing in the form takes on religious import and the rules become dogma rather than guidelines. Reichhold’s approach is basically know the rules, when and when not to use them. Having written somewhere in the vicinity of 5000 herself and having dedicated a decade to producing Basho - The Complete Haiku I am prepared to follow her lead.
Chapter three covers Haiku and the sharing and appreciation of your works and others, getting published and preserving your poems.
Chapter four begins delving into associated forms, such as Tanka, and Renga. I found this section interesting but less relevant - only because I am still coming to grips with Haiku. This chapter I plan to return to when I have a few more Haiku under my belt.
If you want to explore Haiku, if you want explicit teaching this is the book for you. I’d heartily recommend it to any teacher attempting to teach the form in high school, because it will move you past the rather simplistic notions our school texts have about the form.
It wasn’t, as it turns out. There’s an ocean of information out there on how you can / “should” write Haiku. Indeed I found myself getting distracted and lost, there’s just so much great material in the rabbit warren of early nineties Haiku pages to be had - freely posted for enthusiasts to read and experiment with.
Indeed I noted several articles that made their way in altered form into Writing and Enjoying Haiku. What this book presents though, is a nice neat package with just the right amount of information to get you started and to not look terribly ignorant when unleashing your compact wisdom on the public.
Chapter one gives the reader an understanding of what a Haiku is, and how to go about reading and understanding them. There’s a backgrounder on the history and development of the form in both Japan and the rest of the world. It was here I think that I realised that while I may be able to read the works of Masters like Basho, without some deeper cultural understandings of Japanese literature I will miss allusions and references. Haiku can be every bit as dense, as deep, as Shakespeare.
Chapter two on writing Haiku is worth the price of admission by itself. Here Reichhold breaks down, with examples drawn from the masters, as well as current Haiku poets, the 24 techniques that you can employ in writing haiku. She also canvases the “rules” that can and have applied at different times and at the behest of certain schools or masters. What I found particularly refreshing about Reichhold is her focus on technique and her relaxed and sensible approach to using them. For some Haiku poets the experience of writing in the form takes on religious import and the rules become dogma rather than guidelines. Reichhold’s approach is basically know the rules, when and when not to use them. Having written somewhere in the vicinity of 5000 herself and having dedicated a decade to producing Basho - The Complete Haiku I am prepared to follow her lead.
Chapter three covers Haiku and the sharing and appreciation of your works and others, getting published and preserving your poems.
Chapter four begins delving into associated forms, such as Tanka, and Renga. I found this section interesting but less relevant - only because I am still coming to grips with Haiku. This chapter I plan to return to when I have a few more Haiku under my belt.
If you want to explore Haiku, if you want explicit teaching this is the book for you. I’d heartily recommend it to any teacher attempting to teach the form in high school, because it will move you past the rather simplistic notions our school texts have about the form.
July 14, 2017
What a delightful surprise! My spiritual director mentioned that she has been like a "haiku bubble machine," churning them out, so I grabbed a few books (of course!).
This little book is not a whole lot of words -- it's 159 pages and small in size (around 5"x 7" -- haha! I wonder if that was intentional, since haiku is, after all, based on 5-7-5 syllables), including the resources section -- but I took my time with it. I fell in love with Jane Reichhold, who died a few years ago after a lifetime of writing and promoting haiku (and the related tanka and renga).
The book contains four main divisions: (1) Four Things to Do Before Writing Haiku (learn how to read haiku, know why you want to write haiku, be ready to change your ideas of poetry, and find out what a haiku is); (2) The Guide to Haiku Writing; (3) Enjoying Haiku with Others; and (4) Using Your Haiku Skills in Related Poetry Forms.
For me, the first 2/3, which encompasses the first three sections, was the most useful; the section on related poetry forms was fascinating and tantalizing, but I don't have the requisite experience and familiarity with basic haiku to really understand the discussion of tanka (the common form of haiku is in lines of 5-7-5 syllables; tanka is five units of 5-7-5-7-7, and unlike haiku can incorporate feelings, anchored in the reality of the natural world) and renga (a complicated-sounding form that uses the 5-7-5 then 7-7, like tanka, but is written by two or more people, alternating sections).
Reichhold's voice is, not unexpectedly, spare -- it took a bit to get accustomed to her spare punctuation, even in prose. And it's poetic. Here's a paragraph from a subsection entitled "Organizing Your Haiku for Publication":
Haiku can provide a corrective to our incessant internal dialogue; following a discussion on haiku for mental health, Reichhold talks about teaching haiku in schools, and offers great advice for anybody (look at way she suggests revising the perspective of a haiku:
My favorite section is "Twenty-Four Valuable Techniques"; each of these 24 techniques has a description followed by an example. They include everything from techniques of comparison and contrast to "close linkage" and "leap linkage," sabi and wabi, and "As is Above: Is Below" (intriguing to me because I often hear this exact concept in spiritual literature). Each example is rich, and sometimes I didn't really understand the example. Which is wonderful! Reichhold insists that understanding these 17 (plus or minus) syllables can take a good long time; writing them can take even longer, of course, and she recommends writing and then putting your writing away for awhile and coming back to it. I actually copied all or significant portions of all 24 techniques, from pages 55-70, because I found it so helpful, and a useful resource.
I can't imagine a better or more generous introduction to haiku. Reichhold seems to have had exactly the opposite personality of those "mean haiku people." She wants us to love haiku, and far from being possessive and snobbish because of her vast experience, she really seems to want everybody to write some haiku -- not just write it, but make little booklets, send it in to journals, add haiku to letters, etc. I think even if you know a lot about haiku, this delightful book can only enlarge your conception and enthusiasm.
This little book is not a whole lot of words -- it's 159 pages and small in size (around 5"x 7" -- haha! I wonder if that was intentional, since haiku is, after all, based on 5-7-5 syllables), including the resources section -- but I took my time with it. I fell in love with Jane Reichhold, who died a few years ago after a lifetime of writing and promoting haiku (and the related tanka and renga).
The book contains four main divisions: (1) Four Things to Do Before Writing Haiku (learn how to read haiku, know why you want to write haiku, be ready to change your ideas of poetry, and find out what a haiku is); (2) The Guide to Haiku Writing; (3) Enjoying Haiku with Others; and (4) Using Your Haiku Skills in Related Poetry Forms.
For me, the first 2/3, which encompasses the first three sections, was the most useful; the section on related poetry forms was fascinating and tantalizing, but I don't have the requisite experience and familiarity with basic haiku to really understand the discussion of tanka (the common form of haiku is in lines of 5-7-5 syllables; tanka is five units of 5-7-5-7-7, and unlike haiku can incorporate feelings, anchored in the reality of the natural world) and renga (a complicated-sounding form that uses the 5-7-5 then 7-7, like tanka, but is written by two or more people, alternating sections).
Reichhold's voice is, not unexpectedly, spare -- it took a bit to get accustomed to her spare punctuation, even in prose. And it's poetic. Here's a paragraph from a subsection entitled "Organizing Your Haiku for Publication":
Haiku, like rich chocolates, need to be savored one at a time. Another way of putting some time and space between the haiku is to insert prose pieces between them. It does seem to help keep a reader involved in a book if the mind can stretch its legs and run with the rapidity of prose between the torque points of the haiku. (97)Haiku as chocolate; the mind "stretching its legs and running" -- lovely. Reichhold wholeheartedly encourages haiku-writing for, truly, anybody. She says everybody should write haiku, and why not?
Haiku can provide a corrective to our incessant internal dialogue; following a discussion on haiku for mental health, Reichhold talks about teaching haiku in schools, and offers great advice for anybody (look at way she suggests revising the perspective of a haiku:
Be firm about getting the students to think outside of and beyond themselves. Part of growing up is moving away from the self-centered life of babyhood. A good practice is to work with poetry from outside of the person—and haiku is perfect for this. If the haiku the class are writing is in the manner of “my hat blew off / I chase it / down the street,” help them to move the emphasis from themselves to the action they are observing. Put the action in the poem in the present tense and move away from memory with “March winds / rolling down the street / my hat,” or something even better. (102)Apparently haiku has a dark underbelly. On her website (ahapoetry.com) there's an "Ask Jane" section, and one of the questions is, "Why are some people in haiku so mean and vitriolic?" In the book she points out that since haiku has "rules," it can attract people with a "strong belief that they alone were right about how to write a haiku" (105). Online, she elaborates:
In their need for discipline for themselves and parts of their being that they perceive as being “out of control,” they choose a form that gives them what they need. By extension, out of their need to control themselves, they try to control others. Instead of encouraging people to have wide experiences and permitting them to make their own choices and decisions, a dictator-like person will use any method possible, words for the writer, to stop this process even if it means saying untruths.There's more; she has some compassion for the rigidity of such haiku practitioners, but she clearly believes that the form has plenty of room for innovation, creativity, and experimentation.
My favorite section is "Twenty-Four Valuable Techniques"; each of these 24 techniques has a description followed by an example. They include everything from techniques of comparison and contrast to "close linkage" and "leap linkage," sabi and wabi, and "As is Above: Is Below" (intriguing to me because I often hear this exact concept in spiritual literature). Each example is rich, and sometimes I didn't really understand the example. Which is wonderful! Reichhold insists that understanding these 17 (plus or minus) syllables can take a good long time; writing them can take even longer, of course, and she recommends writing and then putting your writing away for awhile and coming back to it. I actually copied all or significant portions of all 24 techniques, from pages 55-70, because I found it so helpful, and a useful resource.
I can't imagine a better or more generous introduction to haiku. Reichhold seems to have had exactly the opposite personality of those "mean haiku people." She wants us to love haiku, and far from being possessive and snobbish because of her vast experience, she really seems to want everybody to write some haiku -- not just write it, but make little booklets, send it in to journals, add haiku to letters, etc. I think even if you know a lot about haiku, this delightful book can only enlarge your conception and enthusiasm.
Read
June 29, 2023fine? she makes many sideways references to internecine squabbles in the us haiku scene, which was almost better than the book itself. nice tips on how to write haiku/haiku techniques I hadn’t heard before. do recommend if ur haiku minded
March 4, 2017
Basic introduction to writing haiku and related short Japanese-inspired forms, with a thorough grounding in the development of the form, its "rules," and how to write them. Very thorough and useful for both teachers and students of the form. I do wish that more time had been spent on what makes a "good" haiku and less on public presentation and publication, which seemed rather frivolous--like an ABCs primer with notes at the end on how to get your book published.
September 20, 2016
I used to hate poetry before I discovered haiku. I thought, finally my type of poetry: objective, direct, concise. No cheesy feelings. No unending obsessions. Only slices of time. Everything in the present tense.
So I picked up this book and it didn't disappoint me. Practical is how I'd rate it. By the time I finished it, I already wrote 15 haiku poems. Talk about a new genre to play with and to read :)
So I picked up this book and it didn't disappoint me. Practical is how I'd rate it. By the time I finished it, I already wrote 15 haiku poems. Talk about a new genre to play with and to read :)
December 31, 2020
This is a lovely little book, that I think is no longer in print. I got my copy from the library. It is a very accessible introduction to haiku, both in it's Japanese forms and in modern adaptations. It includes descriptions of many techniques, related forms, and examples of haiku.
July 16, 2020
Haiku hardly explained and guided, needs some updates but its good to know that this can be poetry too.
April 29, 2024
Ending National Poetry Month by finishing a classic educational book on haiku, Writing and Enjoying Haiku. I would say I especially liked the first half, as I felt she did a good job of really getting into useful and culturally interesting aspects of how to write haiku in English, respecting that the differences in Japanese and English can be significant barriers. She also points out that so many of the ‘rules’ we learn in the west, can miss critical aspects of what, culturally and artistically, haiku represents in Japan. The sections on publishing etc. are, at this point, quite dated and were less interesting to me, personally.
October 7, 2020
A must read for anyone who wants to get serious about this most constraining of poetic forms (when done correctly). Jane, a true master of the form, teaches how to read and enjoy haiku as well as the various devices that make them successful. She is informative regarding the pitfalls so many stumble into unknowingly. And finally, ultimately, she encourages writers to learn the rules so they know exactly when they can be broken to greatest effect.
January 29, 2019
In learning and understanding the art of haiku, this book will be at my side for some time, as I write my own. I've dipped into others, but this puts forth the conventions, the do's and don'ts, and guidance on how to read and write haiku.
October 8, 2022
This book is so useful. Not only does 2/3 of the book help with haiku writing, but the other third helps with other types of writing such as rengay, tanka, haibun, and others. There are so many rules, and the author tries to catalog them all.
April 28, 2023
I'm usually not much for writing guides, but this one was much more enjoyable, and far less uptight about "true" haiku than I expected it to be. A good conversation partner for William Higginson's Haiku Handbook.
May 27, 2018
I get new insights with every read.
June 17, 2018
4.5 stars.
February 6, 2020
This book is informative and instructional for those who like to read and or write haiku poetry. The author gives clear examples.
October 27, 2018
This is a great introduction to writing haiku by the late Jane Reichhold, a very talented haiku poet in her own right. She has divided the book into sections on things to do before writing haiku, a comprehensive guide that includes the Fragment and Phrase Theory, the place of nature and the importance of simplicity, how to enjoy haiku with others and how to apply your haiku skills in related poetry forms.
What I enjoyed most was her open invitation to underline what catches your eye, write down your own thoughts next to her words, 'do the altered book art thing' and make the pages a symbiotic work between author and reader. I have written freely throughout this book as I was reading it and eventually started a new series of haiku in a separate pad that set me off on a completely new journey.
What I enjoyed most was her open invitation to underline what catches your eye, write down your own thoughts next to her words, 'do the altered book art thing' and make the pages a symbiotic work between author and reader. I have written freely throughout this book as I was reading it and eventually started a new series of haiku in a separate pad that set me off on a completely new journey.
February 25, 2017
Having (also) been taught the 5-7-5 rule, this book was a fresh approach to the most famous form of Japanese poetry.
I've translated the guidelines ('starting set of rules' and 'valuable techniques') into German and we tried them in our local Women's Writing Group. It was incredible hard to follow the new set of rules and very intriguing to work with a little help from and for my friends. We spent an animated evening taking our understanding of the power of words (every single one of them) one step further.
I've translated the guidelines ('starting set of rules' and 'valuable techniques') into German and we tried them in our local Women's Writing Group. It was incredible hard to follow the new set of rules and very intriguing to work with a little help from and for my friends. We spent an animated evening taking our understanding of the power of words (every single one of them) one step further.
November 28, 2012
Well-written and concise. A pleasure to read. "Maybe you have always loved poetry, but thought, I could never write anything like that." But wouldn't you like to give it a try? It isn't too late to experience the pleasure of composing a haiku.
Writing and Enjoying Haiku illustrates how to appreciate and compose a form of poetry little understood in the west. Many people are taught that haiku are seventeen-syllable, small poems about nature and that's as far as it goes. The author believes this is a common misconception of a more rich and beautiful genre. Haiku are not chunks of western poetry; they are written from experience rather than beliefs or ideas. They are moments in the here and now where we can discover how to get out of the loop of worries in our daily lives. "Poetry is what happens between the words." Jane Reichhold shows us how we can learn to write haiku with such validity that even years later a re-reading will return us to that moment of inspiration. Included in the book are: twenty four valuable writing techniques, methods for editing and revising your haiku, ways to use your haiku skills in other forms of poetry, ways to enjoy haiku with others, and resources for finding more enjoyment in haiku.
Writing and Enjoying Haiku illustrates how to appreciate and compose a form of poetry little understood in the west. Many people are taught that haiku are seventeen-syllable, small poems about nature and that's as far as it goes. The author believes this is a common misconception of a more rich and beautiful genre. Haiku are not chunks of western poetry; they are written from experience rather than beliefs or ideas. They are moments in the here and now where we can discover how to get out of the loop of worries in our daily lives. "Poetry is what happens between the words." Jane Reichhold shows us how we can learn to write haiku with such validity that even years later a re-reading will return us to that moment of inspiration. Included in the book are: twenty four valuable writing techniques, methods for editing and revising your haiku, ways to use your haiku skills in other forms of poetry, ways to enjoy haiku with others, and resources for finding more enjoyment in haiku.
March 14, 2011
This book was so helpful and informative. One of the best guide-type books I have ever read. Reichhold is a master of the genre herself and her ability to make haiku appealing and understandable makes this a valuable read for anyone interested in learning this form of poetry. Historically as well as practically rich, this volume will not disappoint.
August 16, 2015
This is an excellent and comprehensive approach to studying haiku. It has really helped me understand and enjoy haiku even more than before. I found the debate over different views on what should be included in haiku fascinating e.g. The outrage over using a locomotive was brilliant!
Great book, a definite recommendation.
Great book, a definite recommendation.
November 4, 2011
This was very helpful in understanding what makes or doesn't make a haiku . . . delves into other Japanese poetry forms, which I wasn't as interested in at the time, so my attention wavered near the end. Reichhold is a wonderful poet in her own right and I'd love to read her original poems.
November 30, 2013
Fantastic easy-to-understand history if haiku in America and in Japan. So many variations! I didn't know Traditional Japanese Haiku is supposed to include an element of nature. After checking it out from the library, I purchased a copy of my own. Excellent!
January 4, 2016
This is a great book to get started on writing Haiku. While the rules may seem daunting it does push you forward, tells you "hey let's get writing, don't worry about all the rules" I will have to buy this book for my library at home it's such a great starter into Haiku.
Want to read
September 30, 2008Jane Reichhold's newest book, Basho, The Complete Haiku, isn't listed here yet but the book is a must for anyone who loves haiku. That's what inspired me to put this book on my list.
March 4, 2015
Way more accessible than the other haiku canon out there. Goes beyond 5-7-5 and techniques are explained in plain language for the perpetual beginner.
December 27, 2017
Great overview of haiku, its related forms, and history. Gets a little preachy about rules and structure.
February 1, 2016
While a seemingly short book, it delivers a lot of information on what to think about when composing or appreciating haiku and related poetry forms. I think this will become a regular reference.
December 26, 2016
Fun, inspiring, and against formula. Loved it.
August 14, 2014
Wonderful guide to the many--many!--rules of the haiku and other Japanese forms!
Read
August 30, 2018Super interesting! (Minus the part about how to get published, at least for me). Anybody tryna write a renga with me?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews