Haibun is a wonderful style because lets you combine prose and poetry in a beautifully fluid way. Basho, the master, wrote it in such a simple, effortless style making his work timeless.
I have two rules for myself. 1. Keep the prose short. 2. The haiku should derive from the prose without being repetitive in word or content.
Write your own haibun or any other form of micropoetry and share using comments or good old Mister Linky!
It was the kind of morning that had all the answers – the square of anticipation, the differential of despondency, the coefficient of human failure. Hanging from the sky like a picture frame behind which we had once hidden the dark, its colours dissolving into sunshine streams, its birds flying in formation beyond its corners. It was the kind of morning that should dawn after a night like that. After you left, after I stayed, after I gathered the pieces, not knowing if they could ever be put back together again. The improbability of hope.
shrinking dusk
the lone raven steals
the last of the light
Aw, what a lovely haibun and your haiku is just stunning…so much emotion is felt in your journey here. The haibun has been my favourite form of writing for several years, I even use it in my personal journal. Basho’s journals are timeless…we can be there with him even if we have never visited Edo 🙂 I think that is one quality of haibun…the reader can follow in your footsteps for that brief moment. You did this here so beautifully!
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Thanks so much Cheryl Lynn. That’s very kind. Glad you liked it.
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I really did, you are such a gifted writer.
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A beautiful haibun Rajani, I love how you ‘gathered the pieces, not knowing if they could ever be put back together again’ – your closing haiku is very strong xxx
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Thanks XT.. glad you liked it…
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“..differential of despondency, the coefficient of human failure. ” I got so much from reading and rereading this. Artfully done Rajani.
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Thank you Pat… much appreciated.
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Magnificent! Beautifully constructed and rendered!
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Thank you Wendy..
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Reblogged this on All About Writing and more.
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That was a good read.Thanks.
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Evocative and insightful! Very rich haibun indeed.
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Thank you Mary 🙂
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I like the image of raven stealing the last bit of night. Beautiful
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Thank you 🙂
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Wow! I loved every word. the prose was splendid and the haiku complemented it so well. You truly set a benchmark with each work.
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Thanks Namratha…
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I saw in the comments a haibun mention as being a travelogue. I think that misses the mark somewhat. Yes, haibun work well as part of a series, which lends itself to movement. However, true travelogue and writing about landscape and nature is reserved for kikôbun.
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Never trust a raven! 🙂
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🙂
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I do love the tension between the prose and the haiku… with the prose talking of the morning and the haiku is dusk. It’s like the day is lost between them. These days in November it actually seems like that.
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Thanks Bjorn 🙂
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One of my favorite micropoetry forms to play with….you have done a beautiful job with this one….love it!
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Thanks so much Donna.
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It’s perfect. I especially like the line about the raven stealing the rest of nigh.
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Thank you Colleen….
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Beautifully penned. And the haiku reflects the emptiness you described.
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Thank you Vivian.
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You’re welcome!
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Yyour haiku is an exquisite counterpoint to the body of the haibun. I am struck by the phrase “the improbability of hope”.
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Thank you Sherry 🙂
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The last line of the prose awakens so many thoughts, so many memories, so much…
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Good ones I hope.. or better mornings… thanks Magaly.
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Necessary ones, which is even better. 🙂
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Glad, glad 🙂
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I am fascinated by how you catch the mood, theme of your writing, so that you give the haibun that crucial twist in the tiny leap from prose to haiku. I think that is so crucial. When I compared the opening sentence in your prose to the last sentence, it gives the first sentence an eerie shadow. Strong haiku, very, the use of the Raven giving much to ponder if one wants. The comment might sound a bit overblown, but the sentiments are true.
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Thanks Hamish. That’s high praise indeed. Greatly appreciate it.
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Hi Thotpurge, I just posted the audio you asked for, I hope you like it.
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Thanks John… appreciate it.. was wonderful to hear it.
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Absolutely beautiful – can see that lone raven in all its aspect – carrying last of light on its wing
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Thanks so much, glad you liked it.
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This is soo beautiful! Especially like; “Hanging from the sky like a picture frame behind which we had once hidden the dark”💞
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Thank you Sanaa 🙂
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Happy Sunday 🙂
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2017/11/12/a-month-with-yeats-day-twelve/
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Whenever I read your words, I think you extraordinarily gifted – and indeed you are.
Anna :o]
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Thanks Anna, that’s very kind.
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Here!Here!I second that!☺☺
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Thanks Pat…
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So much of life is the improbability of hope; that need we have that things will turn out OK despite the negative feelings and events happening around you. Beautiful haibun.
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Thank you Robin.
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This is lovely Thotpurge. I really enjoyed it.
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Thanks so much John.
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oops. What happened to my comment 😦
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Your comment is here.. moderation is on unfortunately because of spam. 🙂
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Love how improbability of hope merges with the last of light. Such an amazing write!
I missed the last one but today I tried a Haibun 🙂
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Thanks so much Sumana. You shared a great haibun!
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A clever and insightful piece I loved every word
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Thanks so much Jae.
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Really like your haibun, Rajani. Especially like the raven in the final haiku. In myth, the raven is seen as a shape-shifter, often able to shift realities.
Elizabeth
https://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/2017/11/12/stray-thought-12/
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Thanks Elizabeth… an editor to whom I submitted a few haibun was of the opinion that haibun prose had to be very specific.. but I think there’s room for a lot of experimentation. I like where you’ve taken it as a tool of self exploration.
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As I understand it, a haibun is a travelogue, a description of a journey. I think the most important journey anyone takes is that one in exploration of self. I took a chance that others might understand, and am grateful that you did. And I have found over the years, that those who make arbitrary rules about how poetry must be written, are often the ones who are most afraid of that journey. You might like to take a look at a brief essay I wrote about that recently. You can find it at
http://1sojournal.wordpress.com
Elizabeth
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Will definitely read it Elizabeth… I agree that the more constraints we put upon ourselves, the less honest our poems become, defeating the purpose.
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I absolutely agree with that. Handcuffing a poem cheats the reader, as well as the poet,
Elizabeth
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