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Haiku in English
Haiku in English is for anyone who wishes to write, teach, or deepen their appreciation of haiku.
- GenresPoetryNonfictionJapan
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 8, 2021
I just picked up this book nearly fifty years after it was published in 1967 and it still feels clear and relevant. Haiku poetry was trending at the time. Mr. Henderson appears to be delighted that this 5-7-5 syllabic form of poetry had taken the world by storm and that it was being written in many languages including English, but he contends that it is important that the new writers understand what a Japanese haiku really is. From this new understanding of the subtleties of the form, adjustments can be made to wrestle a western language into this popular eastern format. There is so much more to these little gems than the number of syllables and lines that you use! You need nature, you need a human emotion, you need a specific event. You do not always need to fit your syllables in just right. Henderson wants to stimulate the poet to develop some conventions that may work for the English writer, without straying so far from the Japanese traditions that what you create really isn't a haiku at all. He presents a lot of information and possibility into a small book for people who are interested in haiku, then and now. Be sure to notice the lovely, tiny, pen illustrations that appear throughout.
August 6, 2019
Excellent primer on the essentials: clear, concise
Henderson begins with a description of Japanese haiku, its form and the "rules" pertaining to its composition. There is the visual appearance of the poem in three lines with the first line having five syllables, the second seven, and the third five. The poem must contain some reference to nature. The poem is specific in the sense that it refers to a particular event, and the event is happening now, not in the past. (p. 14) Additionally, it is often the practice to reference or allude to a time of year by season. Thus "the blossomed-covered hill" would indicate spring, falling leaves fall, snow winter, and long days of sunlight summer.
Americans who appreciate and write haiku are aware of the first requirement about the form of the poem, and they are fairly clear that haiku that does not refer to nature is not really haiku. But the other rules are more often observed in the breach if at all. Thus American haiku can be and sometimes is about most anything (causing great horror to purists!). For example, recall Richard Brautigan's "Haiku Ambulance":
A piece of green pepper fell
off the wooden salad bowl:
so what?
which makes fun of haiku that fail. Note that strictly speaking it is not haiku. It is a clever short satirical poem.
Henderson observes that even in purest Japanese haiku "one haiku in 25 does not have a strict 5-7-5 form." Of course in translation it is far better to convey the poetic qualities and meaning of the haiku than to attempt a slavish adherence to the syllabic rule. Thus this translation of haiku by Basho:
On a withered branch
a crow has settled...
autumn nightfall
sacrifices the syllabic rule while maintaining the three lines, which is usually the way translation is done, and usually the way American haiku is written. One of the reasons for this is that syllabication in Japanese is different from syllabication in English and that furthermore there are in Japanese kireji ("cutting words") that are "primarily verbal punctuation marks" that are difficult to translate directly. (p. 33)
I could go on, and it would be fun to do that, delving into nuance and technique, the appearance of emotion in haiku, etc., but it is enough to suggest the depth of Henderson's intense little book. He details the evolved differences between the form in the two languages and then gives tips on writing and teaching haiku. If you are going to teach haiku at any level, primary to college, you certainly will find this book valuable. If your intent is just to learn and appreciate, Henderson's effort will afford you a better appreciation. If you are a poet yourself, the book is fun because it shows you how others have practiced the form and goes into the experience with a number of examples. The subtleties of expression are as arcane, quaint and beautiful as one would expect from such a venerable fine art form, and it is useful to acquaint oneself with them, even while transgressing a few here and there!
Bottom line: pithy, elegant, and practical. This is one of my favorite books on haiku and one that I found valuable when I taught haiku in my high school English and creative writing classes.
--Dennis Littrell, author of the mystery novel, “Teddy and Teri”
Henderson begins with a description of Japanese haiku, its form and the "rules" pertaining to its composition. There is the visual appearance of the poem in three lines with the first line having five syllables, the second seven, and the third five. The poem must contain some reference to nature. The poem is specific in the sense that it refers to a particular event, and the event is happening now, not in the past. (p. 14) Additionally, it is often the practice to reference or allude to a time of year by season. Thus "the blossomed-covered hill" would indicate spring, falling leaves fall, snow winter, and long days of sunlight summer.
Americans who appreciate and write haiku are aware of the first requirement about the form of the poem, and they are fairly clear that haiku that does not refer to nature is not really haiku. But the other rules are more often observed in the breach if at all. Thus American haiku can be and sometimes is about most anything (causing great horror to purists!). For example, recall Richard Brautigan's "Haiku Ambulance":
A piece of green pepper fell
off the wooden salad bowl:
so what?
which makes fun of haiku that fail. Note that strictly speaking it is not haiku. It is a clever short satirical poem.
Henderson observes that even in purest Japanese haiku "one haiku in 25 does not have a strict 5-7-5 form." Of course in translation it is far better to convey the poetic qualities and meaning of the haiku than to attempt a slavish adherence to the syllabic rule. Thus this translation of haiku by Basho:
On a withered branch
a crow has settled...
autumn nightfall
sacrifices the syllabic rule while maintaining the three lines, which is usually the way translation is done, and usually the way American haiku is written. One of the reasons for this is that syllabication in Japanese is different from syllabication in English and that furthermore there are in Japanese kireji ("cutting words") that are "primarily verbal punctuation marks" that are difficult to translate directly. (p. 33)
I could go on, and it would be fun to do that, delving into nuance and technique, the appearance of emotion in haiku, etc., but it is enough to suggest the depth of Henderson's intense little book. He details the evolved differences between the form in the two languages and then gives tips on writing and teaching haiku. If you are going to teach haiku at any level, primary to college, you certainly will find this book valuable. If your intent is just to learn and appreciate, Henderson's effort will afford you a better appreciation. If you are a poet yourself, the book is fun because it shows you how others have practiced the form and goes into the experience with a number of examples. The subtleties of expression are as arcane, quaint and beautiful as one would expect from such a venerable fine art form, and it is useful to acquaint oneself with them, even while transgressing a few here and there!
Bottom line: pithy, elegant, and practical. This is one of my favorite books on haiku and one that I found valuable when I taught haiku in my high school English and creative writing classes.
--Dennis Littrell, author of the mystery novel, “Teddy and Teri”
April 22, 2009
Buat yang pingin tau apa itu Haiku, dan gimana sih cara bikinnya, boleh lah baca buku tipis ini.
Jadi Haiku itu adalah bentuk puisi yang dibikin oleh orang Jepang sejak abad-abad lampau. Tapi sekarang menulis Haiku sudah mulai dilirik oleh orang-orang Barat. Terhitung puluhan ribu orang Amerika sekarang menulis Haiku -- atau paling tidak mencoba untuk menulis Haiku.
Karena minat yang tinggi itulah The Japan Society menerima banyak permintaan informasi mengenai cara penulisan Haiku dalam bahasa Inggris. Secara nggak semua orang bisa kan nulis dalam huruf kanji?
Nah, ada aturan umum dalam penulisan Haiku.
1. Terdiri dari 17 suku kata bahasa Jepang (5-7-5)
2. Mengacu pada alam
3. Mengacu pada satu kejadian khusus (bukan generalisasi)
4. Kejadiannya saat ini, bukan di masa lampau
Begitulah kira-kira aturan umumnya. Sekarang kita bahas satu-satu aturan umum tersebut.
Aturan 1. Mengenai suku kata. Suku kata dalam bhs Jepang berbeda dengan bahasa Inggris (apalagi dalam bahasa Indonesia ya?) Jadi gak mesti strict ngikutin rules ini. Contoh:
Kore wa kore wa to bakari hana no Yoshinoyama
in English:
Oh...! that's all
upon the blossomed-covered
hills of Yoshino.
Disini bentuknya 6-7-5. Jadi sebenernya gak mesti 5-7-5. Memang idealnya begitu karena aturan dasarnya demikian, tapi ada bahayanya juga ngikutin aturan ini secara strict, karena bisa jadi Haiku yang kita bikin gak ada artinya hanya gara-gara mesti ngikutin 5-7-5 rule itu.
Aturan 2. Mengenai alam. Pengacuan ke alam ini tidak selalu langsung. Bisa juga ke musim. Contoh:
Ie wa mina tsue ni shiraga no haka mairi
in English:
A family -- all
leaning on staves and white-haired--
visiting the graves.
'Visiting the graves' disini mengacu pada pertengahan musim panas.
Tapi ada argumentasi kalo musim di Jepang kan beda dengan musim di Amerika. Jadi orang Amerika banyak menulis dengan gaya mereka sendiri. *ngeyel ya?* katanya penggunaan musim dan pengacuan pada alam itu gak praktis. Kalo di Indonesia, musimnya lebih banyak ya? Musim duren, musim mangga, gimana cara bikin Haiku nya?
Aturan 3 & 4. Mengenai satu kejadian dan terjadi saat ini. Meskipun universal, tapi rules 3&4 ini saling terkait. Tapi ada juga yang membuat rule 4 dalam bentuk lampau. Contoh nih bikinan orang Amrik:
That dead tree's branches
I, that clump of weeds, and all
Flowered that summer.
Bentuknya masa lampau kan? Tapi perasaan terhadap puisi itu -emosinya- adalah sekarang. Intinya sih apa yang kita rasakan saat membuat puisi ini kali ye?
Anyway, membuat Haiku itu sulit-sulit gampang. Kalo sekilas kek lagi belajar jari pintar, tangan menghitung suku kata. Padahal kalo nulis puisi mah bebas aja ya? Gak mesti juga ngikutin aturan aa-bb or whatever. Tapi disinilah uniknya membuat Haiku. Kalo gak pake aturan, apa bedanya dengan berbalas pantun dong? ;)
Yuk coba bikin! Seru kok :D
Jadi Haiku itu adalah bentuk puisi yang dibikin oleh orang Jepang sejak abad-abad lampau. Tapi sekarang menulis Haiku sudah mulai dilirik oleh orang-orang Barat. Terhitung puluhan ribu orang Amerika sekarang menulis Haiku -- atau paling tidak mencoba untuk menulis Haiku.
Karena minat yang tinggi itulah The Japan Society menerima banyak permintaan informasi mengenai cara penulisan Haiku dalam bahasa Inggris. Secara nggak semua orang bisa kan nulis dalam huruf kanji?
Nah, ada aturan umum dalam penulisan Haiku.
1. Terdiri dari 17 suku kata bahasa Jepang (5-7-5)
2. Mengacu pada alam
3. Mengacu pada satu kejadian khusus (bukan generalisasi)
4. Kejadiannya saat ini, bukan di masa lampau
Begitulah kira-kira aturan umumnya. Sekarang kita bahas satu-satu aturan umum tersebut.
Aturan 1. Mengenai suku kata. Suku kata dalam bhs Jepang berbeda dengan bahasa Inggris (apalagi dalam bahasa Indonesia ya?) Jadi gak mesti strict ngikutin rules ini. Contoh:
Kore wa kore wa to bakari hana no Yoshinoyama
in English:
Oh...! that's all
upon the blossomed-covered
hills of Yoshino.
Disini bentuknya 6-7-5. Jadi sebenernya gak mesti 5-7-5. Memang idealnya begitu karena aturan dasarnya demikian, tapi ada bahayanya juga ngikutin aturan ini secara strict, karena bisa jadi Haiku yang kita bikin gak ada artinya hanya gara-gara mesti ngikutin 5-7-5 rule itu.
Aturan 2. Mengenai alam. Pengacuan ke alam ini tidak selalu langsung. Bisa juga ke musim. Contoh:
Ie wa mina tsue ni shiraga no haka mairi
in English:
A family -- all
leaning on staves and white-haired--
visiting the graves.
'Visiting the graves' disini mengacu pada pertengahan musim panas.
Tapi ada argumentasi kalo musim di Jepang kan beda dengan musim di Amerika. Jadi orang Amerika banyak menulis dengan gaya mereka sendiri. *ngeyel ya?* katanya penggunaan musim dan pengacuan pada alam itu gak praktis. Kalo di Indonesia, musimnya lebih banyak ya? Musim duren, musim mangga, gimana cara bikin Haiku nya?
Aturan 3 & 4. Mengenai satu kejadian dan terjadi saat ini. Meskipun universal, tapi rules 3&4 ini saling terkait. Tapi ada juga yang membuat rule 4 dalam bentuk lampau. Contoh nih bikinan orang Amrik:
That dead tree's branches
I, that clump of weeds, and all
Flowered that summer.
Bentuknya masa lampau kan? Tapi perasaan terhadap puisi itu -emosinya- adalah sekarang. Intinya sih apa yang kita rasakan saat membuat puisi ini kali ye?
Anyway, membuat Haiku itu sulit-sulit gampang. Kalo sekilas kek lagi belajar jari pintar, tangan menghitung suku kata. Padahal kalo nulis puisi mah bebas aja ya? Gak mesti juga ngikutin aturan aa-bb or whatever. Tapi disinilah uniknya membuat Haiku. Kalo gak pake aturan, apa bedanya dengan berbalas pantun dong? ;)
Yuk coba bikin! Seru kok :D
July 28, 2021
A humble guide to reading and writing haiku in English. It begins with an introduction to the tradition of Japanese haiku, and then considers how each of these elements might—or might not—be utilized in English-language haiku. Contains suggested methods for how to teach children to write haiku and gives advice on reading haiku in translation. Henderson takes the bold stance that if a translated haiku imparts no feeling to you, it's not you, it's the translator.
Though this book is attributed to Harold Gould Henderson, it's published on the behalf of the Japan Society of New York and the opinions expressed feel like a collaborative effort. For instance, you may remember that my pal Harold G. Henderson utilizes rhyme in his own translations, but this book is officially agnostic about this crime, saying that you may want to avoid it, but if it happens naturally that's okay, or maybe that's also something you should avoid—you pick. I especially enjoyed Henderson's paraphrase of Pope, pointing out that "some huge stones, vast, white..." moves far more slowly than "a little pebble." Both phrases have five syllables, but they have quite a different effect. And also R.H. Blyth's exhortation that haiku is a finger pointing at the moon and if the hand is bejeweled, we no longer see what it's pointing at.
The advice in here is gentle and general, and this little book is a harmless glimpse into the haiku scene of 1967. As such, all potential readers and poets are addressed as "he."
Though this book is attributed to Harold Gould Henderson, it's published on the behalf of the Japan Society of New York and the opinions expressed feel like a collaborative effort. For instance, you may remember that my pal Harold G. Henderson utilizes rhyme in his own translations, but this book is officially agnostic about this crime, saying that you may want to avoid it, but if it happens naturally that's okay, or maybe that's also something you should avoid—you pick. I especially enjoyed Henderson's paraphrase of Pope, pointing out that "some huge stones, vast, white..." moves far more slowly than "a little pebble." Both phrases have five syllables, but they have quite a different effect. And also R.H. Blyth's exhortation that haiku is a finger pointing at the moon and if the hand is bejeweled, we no longer see what it's pointing at.
The advice in here is gentle and general, and this little book is a harmless glimpse into the haiku scene of 1967. As such, all potential readers and poets are addressed as "he."
November 11, 2009
This book is outdated, but makes haiku accessible. Favorite lines:
1. "Before attempting flexibility, learn to submit to controls" (47).
2. "A cooling breeze- / and the whole sky is filled / with pine tree voices" (59).
3. "A bitter morning: / sparrows sitting together / without any necks" (31).
4. "The falling leaves / fall and pile up; the rain / beats on the rain" (21).
1. "Before attempting flexibility, learn to submit to controls" (47).
2. "A cooling breeze- / and the whole sky is filled / with pine tree voices" (59).
3. "A bitter morning: / sparrows sitting together / without any necks" (31).
4. "The falling leaves / fall and pile up; the rain / beats on the rain" (21).
July 22, 2018
So I thought this was going to be a collection of haiku, you know, written in English, but it's really not. It's more of a discussion of what makes a haiku a haiku when written in Japanese and how some things don't translate well to English because of cultural and language differences. There are some suggestions for how to proceed though.
It's interesting.
It's interesting.
August 8, 2018
A nice little book originally published by The Japan Society in 1967 with the intent of helping English speakers get a better understanding of the Japanese art of haiku which was currently taking the world by storm. A lot has happened since this book was published and a lot of what happened was due to the work of the author, Harold G. Henderson.
May 13, 2017
Contradiction in terms.
April 22, 2011
I found an original 1967 edition of this wonderful gem of a book. It's dated, but has excellent information on Haiku as a form of poetry.
May 1, 2024
This little primer is THE place to start for writers and readers of haiku in English.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews