The Haiku Expedition

I learned Haiku today. This word sounds like a form of martial arts to me, but it is not. It is a form of short poetry. I am no guru in verse and of course, I am still learning. So, in my Modern Literature class I learned Haiku. It is a form of poetry with a Japanese origin (obviously right? Where else on earth would poetry have such a name?) which is typically characterized by three features. But, the basic feature of Haiku is that they are three-line poems with 17 syllables. The 1^st and 3^rd lines consist of 5 syllables each and the middle line consists of 7 syllables. I could go on about the techy stuff forever, but the point of this post is to share two haiku verses that my group came up with.

Raise Your Glass

Cells, rotting purple,
Swallowed his limbs; drinks, more drinks!!!
In his casket sinks

This is one Haiku verse that we put together and it is a piece about alcoholism written in an paradoxical manner. The alcoholic is quite obviously in his death bed (or is headed there) but continues to drink. Usually we ‘raise a glass’ to cheer, but this addict raises his glass (ironically) at his ‘rotting cells’. What denial? What uncontrollable addiction?

Cool

Sleek hair, breath puffs, stinks.
Pants hang loose, bling tinkling, smirks.
Kids, these days are cool. 

The other Haiku is another put in a mocking manner. It is a light-hearted criticism about the sense of ‘coolness’ among teenagers. Personally, I am no fan of smoking, bling blings or loose pants on guys, but the style exists. (What do you know, the world does not revolve around my choices!) It is a 17 syllable mockery of the sense of fashion some have. 

Credit for these carefree, beginner Haiku verses also goes to Tharaka Premarathne and Dilushi De Mel, my fellow group-members.