night in the garden
an oil lamp on the table
lighting the silence

© Günther Klinge (Germany) (1910 – 2009)

We have an interesting and moody setting. I can imagine a dark garden table with an oil lamp on it, and the flowers, grass, and other plants around barely lit by the lamp’s light. The line “lighting the silence” seems metaphorical at first, but it is an actuality: the lamp is displaying the silence, or stillness, of the garden at night. Sometimes if we put attention on the stillness of our surroundings, we attain an inner stillness. This haiku, to me, is about perceiving an outward stillness, and feeling that peace within.

In terms of sound, the most prominent letter is “i,” much like the shape of a candle. The “i” sound for me adds to the hushed atmosphere. The second most important letter is “l,” which gives the haiku a musical resonance. These sounds make us revel in the moment more. In addition, it is intriguing to note the usage of articles. Though this haiku has three instances of “the,” each one is judicious. Sometimes in a haiku, you want to give focus and respect to many subjects simultaneously. Arguably, you could have “a table” but I believe it would not seem natural.

To learn more about this poet, visit The Living Haiku Anthology‘s page about Günther Klinge: http://livinghaikuanthology.com/index-of-poets/livinglegacies/2651-g%C3%BCnther-klinge.html

– Nicholas Klacsanzky (Ukraine)

What do you feel about this haiku? Let us know in the comments.

day moon
everything seems
possible

© Christina Sng (Singapore)
Prune Juice Issue 23

A day moon is always a magical sight. A fixture of the night, the most brilliant one, can still hang around in the day. A constant moon could have many symbolic meanings, such as enlightenment, constant inspiration, the integration of nature, romantic fervor, and more. But in this poem, it seems the poet wants to express wonder. Sometimes, we feel that everything is indeed possible, though it may come upon us inexplicably. Christina has captured one of these elusive moments.

A musical touch is given to the haiku with “m” and “s” sounds. It makes the idea behind the haiku more convincing. The simplicity of the haiku is admirable as well: only five words and no punctuation. There is a saying that you should make a haiku as simple as possible, without harming the reading of it. This haiku is a fine example of this concept. Also, though enjambment (cutting off a phrase in a line) is not often used in haiku, it is employed appropriately as a sense of surprise. An excellent haiku in feeling and technique.

– Nicholas Klacsanzky (Ukraine)

What do you think or feel about this haiku? Let us know in the comments.

A butterfly fans
one buttercup, and then fans
one more buttercup

© James Kirkup (UK) (1918 – 2009)

A tricky one! Maybe it is a reflection on seduction and passionate love.

– Hifsa Ashraf (Pakistan)

Well, I don’t generally like the use of “and” in a haiku. I particularly don’t like the use of the Oxford comma in this. I think it distracts from the language. I am not entirely convinced there is a valid juxtaposition. What do you think?

– Patricia (Switzerland)

Love its visual of dancing from buttercup to buttercup. It is lovely.
At first glance, I thought it gets chopped up by a fan.

– Robert Gillette (USA)

Well, there doesn’t have to be juxtaposition in haiku. Issa didn’t always use juxtaposition. This haiku is playful like Issa’s. I tend to find 5.7.5 syllable haiku quite boring, not always if well written, but this one uses syllables just to fill the quotient. Would this haiku be using the Shasei technique?

– Martha Magenta (UK)

This is an example of a 5-7-5 haiku that really works! It is playful; and although the subject is mundane, it strikes a soft spot in my heart. I would like to imagine the moment as something in slow motion that I wanted to cherish every second of; it is light and colorful as well. In all, a very masterful creation by a modern haijin.

– Willie Bongcaron (Philippines)

A find this haiku meditative, and that it gives readers an opportunity to imagine the scene it describes. It seems we first focus on the butterfly fanning one buttercup, and then our mind moves on to imagine a whole field of buttercups to be fanned. This attention and innocence of the butterfly is admirable.

What is interesting is how the repetition of “butter” in the words “butterfly” and “buttercup” reflect the field full of buttercups (at least that is what I imagine). Another instance of repetition in this haiku is “one” beginning both the second and third line, while the first and second line ends with “fans.”

The buttercup is often a seasonal reference to late spring. Maybe with the coming heat of summer, the butterfly is cooling them down (maybe recreating the mild atmosphere of early spring). The butterfly giving such focused attention humanizes it, and makes us wonder what really separates us from animals.

– Nicholas Klacsanzky (Ukraine)

What do you think or feel about this haiku? Let us know in the comments.