Tuesday 12 January 2010

Accidental Birth of the Haikette

Inspired by the unprecedented response (hem hem) to my sawn-off haiku encapsulating the Noughties, I've decided to regularise the form and give it a name. It shall be called the Haikette (with grateful acknowledgment to the Sage of Tiverton, whom God preserve), and it shall consist of 13 syllables, arranged thus:
4
6
3
That's enough syllables for anyone. Here's an example:

Gulls on the ice.
Seared rushes fringe the lake.
My breath, smoke.

(It should be centred, rather than ranged left, but I can't work out how to do it on Blogger.)
That's a memory of yesterday, when I walked out in quest of waxwings, not really expecting to find any - and I didn't. That magical sighting from a passing train will stand alone in my memory (albeit with a butterfly relative). I did, however, get a good look at another beautiful tree sparrow, and thought of my daughter, now back in New Zealand...

10 comments:

  1. Nige, lyrical.
    Butterflies, birds: the cause
    Readers smile.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Continuing my current theme...

    Not with a bang,
    But fizzling out on a
    slow Tuesday.

    Or digging up an old one...

    John Portsmouth
    Football Club Westwood must
    ring his bell.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful words -
    Curiosity is
    Rewarded:

    Here is a kiss...
    Thank you for being so
    Curious.

    x

    ReplyDelete
  4. snow on the road.
    bin men stay warm in pub.
    council tax, why?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have been moved to compose a Haikette in honour of your auspicious posting!

    Snow on the path.
    Empty gritters rumble.
    Nothing spreads.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks to you all.
    I am work-whelmed, alas.
    Days too short.

    ReplyDelete
  7. words on a page
    falling slowly askew
    demand thought

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely post, Nige.
    New Zealand is warmer...
    But lacks you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I chanced upon this blog, and was inspired by all your examples to experiment. My first haikette:

    Red fan flashing
    Redstart dips, wheels, flutters.
    Feathered flame.

    ReplyDelete