I am currently working on compiling haiku with aspirations of publishing a book. As of writing this I have approximately 200 rough drafts, some of which are true haiku and some simply very short poems. Along with editing I am sorting the haiku into themes like family, people, animal and nature types (trees, flowers, night, etc.).
I have always loved brief poems and the white space around them. I believe it is that space which allows the reader to take an active part in the poetry and that sort of collaboration fascinates me. The other aspect of haiku that speaks to me is finding the intersection between nature and human nature. I see that as one of the roots of our humanity.
My audience is myself. That may be narcissistic and counterproductive to selling books, but I write for me. I'm not trying to be popular or successful. Writing is my brain and soul's exercise. If others enjoy it ... beautiful. I'm happy to share.
Writing haiku comes very naturally to me. Calling it easy would be a stretch, but I don't experience the dreadful mind cramps I get while editing other forms. There are set rules (something my mind craves) and it's obvious when a haiku doesn't work. I especially love the process by which I create haiku. I simply walk around with my notebook and write about anything poignant.
The Glens Falls Writer's Group plays a crucial part in this process. It provides and excellent measuring stick. Meeting twice a month allows me to tack my work quantitatively. As far as critiques, I am looking mostly for how much and what did the work evoke in the reader. It's also interesting to see which were received well and which fell flat, though that's often a very personal and subjective thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment