“An Intersection of Haiku and Art” is a guestblog written by Taibi Malaj.
The haiku is one of the most famous Japanese and global poetic form that consists of three lines, with
five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. The most famous haikus often
describe fleeting moments in nature, by using implicit and explicit symbolism. Of course, you already
know all this as Japan Fans.
What makes haikus so different from other forms of poetry writing, however? There is something very
enticing in having to be restricted by such strict rules and being able to create a beautiful poem at the
same time. The simplicity of haikus is what can let the imagination roam freely, and let emotions and
auras overtake the poems. In the absence of fancy words and rhythmic rhymes, the poems become
more personal and create a more detailed scenery and more nuanced emotions for the reader.
Less is definitely more in this case.
If we look at another part of the map, we will find visual arts. Perhaps in the “capital” of the art world
you will find paintings and prints. Similarly with poems, artworks have a certain composition, colors, and symbolism which the viewer can relate to (or not). This can create powerful emotional responses to the viewers, even in the most abstract of artworks. Even thinking of a word or a color can elicit memories for some.
Taking into account the similarities between the two, there must be an intersection between haikus and art in this world. Of course, having a profound experience, witnessing a beautiful night sky or falling in love would cause any poet to want to write about them; but art can be just as powerful as any other human experience. So many parts of someone’s soul can be found in a painting, from their emotions to the thoughts they never knew they had. Looking at art is a profound, personal, and private experience after all.
As such, you can write a haiku about an artwork. What do you see? What was the artist trying to say?
Why is there a specific element in the painting? What are the people in the artwork feeling? What are
you feeling?
You can write about anything. There are no rules in writing; except of course writing a three-line poem
with a total of 17 syllables – but you can roam freely besides that.
Feel free to share any poems you might write inspired by your favorite artworks. I would love to read
what you have to say.
An Intersection of Haiku and Art
Here are a couple of examples of haikus I have written about famous Japanese artworks:
Fuji’s hide and seek
Moments washed away by sea
Bold, yet hidden dream
Sky bathed by the sun
Fishermen welcome its warmth
Where is the fish though?
In a somber mood
The moon trying to sneak through;
Loneliness for two
Too blue to be true.
Lights rebel against the night
Giving space for flight…
About the author
Hello there! My name is Taibi, I am 22 years old and I really love pickles. I am originally from Albania, raised in Greece and moved to the Netherlands approximately 8 years ago. Currently, I am studying Economics at Utrecht University but getting my degree is a backup plan. I have two dreams that I wish to accomplish in my life: become a writer and own a cafe. I started writing at a very young age, and it’s the only way I feel I can accurately express myself. I think my greatest talent is making people feel like home; and I hope I will be able to do that through my writing and future cafe in coming years 🙂