Muammar Al Khadafi

HAIKU - THE ART OF TRAPPING

by Don Baird One of the most interesting aspects of haiku, as I see it, lies in the art of trapping the mind. The haiku form, itself, sets the stage for the phenomena to occur. Take a look for a moment at the following haiku: oh snail … you were there yesterday!           ~Don Baird, 1st Place in the NHK Sokan Tadashi Kondo Radio Contest The “oh snail” is the trap. It is the line that draws the reader’s interest further into the poem. It is a fragment in this case; it is a lead in; it is what sets up the haiku and the reader both for what’s to come in the following phrase. This technique can also be accomplished by placing the phrase first with the fragment second. Poets, today, remain experimental in the ways to accomplish this via differing structures, shapes and forms of haiku. When the reader first sees “oh snail,” it quickly draws the reader into the “setting” of the haiku but not the “all” of the haiku. The ellipsis (three dots) that directly follows the fragment is meant to extend the feel of the line as well as slow the reader down. A slight delay before allowing the reader to rush into concluding aspects of the haiku often works quite well. There are many ways that haijin accomplish this. The Japanese haijin call this space “ma”  - dream space, so to speak. Written in 1900 by Masaoka Shiki, his haiku creates the same effect with the following “setting”, fragment: winter solstice – This, as I mentioned, gives the reader the setting of the haiku and poet both. Whether Shiki is writing from memory or not, we might not know. But, we do know what the general setting was the very moment he witnessed the event that caused him to write the haiku. He has, in two words, given the reader the backdrop for the rest of the haiku to follow. “how beautiful the cakes on the Buddhist altar!” The phrase brings the haiku home, so to speak. It clues the reader immediately into the full scene and more. And, when this technique is executed well, the “whole is more than the sum of its parts,” (Aristotle). Regarding haiku, this is most often called resonance; the fragment and phrase, combined, bring about resonance and lasting additional reactions, thoughts and ideas for the reader. Read together: winter solstice – how beautiful the cakes on the Buddhist altar! (Masaoka Shiki, Selected Poems translated by Burton Watson, pg 81, poem 128) I like using this story to illustrate the idea: Take your right hand and wave it across the front of your body. It swishes by you. Now, wave the left hand across the front of the body in the same manner. Again, the hand swishes by you without incident or sound. Take both hands and swing them together but clap them in the middle – in front of your body. Both hands wave; both hands help make the sound when they clap. Individually, they are what they are – movement without sound. Together, the hands clap; they make sound – another aspect or resonance. Quality haiku, most often, work in this manner. Their parts bring about a greater whole.  Their parts bring forth lasting resonance resulting in layers and layers of meaning. Basho approaches it a different way in the following poem: “bush warbler has dropped his hat” This is the phrase first with a fragment to follow. But, what’s to come? What else did Basho see that caught not only his eye but also his imagination? His fragment reads quickly: “camellia” That’s it! This is where he wants the reader. And then, the wave of resonance begins.  The greater image(s) and the continuum of thoughts resonate. The reader has the setting and the full scene but now, what does it mean? Is there an accessible, immediate image?  Are there hints of greater meaning and wisdom? Are there layers upon layers for the reader to explore for impact and significance? Is there a clapping of two hands bringing about a third and wonderful aspect to the haiku? bush warbler has dropped his hat camellia           (translated by Jane Reichhold, Basho, the Complete Haiku, pg. 162, poem 648) The haiku writing style of phrase/fragment or fragment/phrase, in these cases, naturally allows for this technique to shine through. Basho’s poem is magnificent and the phrase attracts the reader’s imagination while the fragment finishes the job. The following are settings/set-ups: tummy tickles indoor cat … outdoor cat city lights swimming in a cool river windblown Each one leaves the reader with something to wonder about. Each one engages the reader’s interest. And, all of them set the stage for the second hand to clap with the first. Think about each one for a moment. Ponder what you might write yourself. *tummy tickles the dog runs quickly upside down! Is that where you anticipated the poem would lead? Did L2 leave enough out for L3 to create the clap? And then, did the image come together for you? Of course, not all poems will strike all readers the same way. indoor cat … outdoor cat nose to nose This one, basically, is three individual statements. However, L1 and L2 work uniquely together to offer the reader a feel of a two-line setup with the third line creating the revelation. It’s an activity-biased poem that only becomes so as a result of L3. The activity and image connect at once. city lights the thoughts of yesterday today “City lights” can lead us nearly anywhere. A thousand poems probably use the two-word term in one way or another. Yet, does the reader know where the poet is leading? Can the reader easily predict the ending? Not hardly. There are countless ways to wrap up this poem from the setting; a surprise may always be in store. swimming in a cool river You can probably guess this one. It’s a little more predictable because of the profusion of poems out there using setups such as this. Nevertheless, this poem may resonate with L3 regardless of the subject: swimming in a cool river … the moon And lastly, windblown a spider hangs by a thread Now there is a perilous image of a poor spider swinging around out of control. I wonder if any of us have had such a helpless feeling. Windblown by problems and situations, a person’s frustrations and fears expand. When will the wind stop? How long is one able dangle? And what will be the fate of the spider? The hands clap. Resonance takes front stage. The story continues in the reader’s mind in mere moments following the reading of the haiku. Poets today are finding other ways to arrange haiku to stress this relationship as well.  Nevertheless, in the end, it often remains that juxtaposition, contrast, comparison, and association between the two parts of the haiku, is what will cause the reader’s revelation, insight and wisdom the author may have in mind … and perhaps more. Occasionally, a reader grasps an image or thought from the poem that the poet didn’t see herself/himself. That leaves us with a final pondering – the mystery of haiku and its interaction with the human mind. * “Study poems” from Haiku Wisdom, Modern English Tanka Press, 2011 pages 78, 50, 70, 68, 66, respectively.