By Edward Weiss
Love poems have been written since men and women have been able to communicate with each other. Traditionally, it's been the realm of the western poet. Not anymore.
Good love poems can and have been written by eastern poets as well. In fact, the eastern flair for staying in the present and looking at things as they are add a delightful nuance to the subject of love. Haiku offers the reader a moment captured in time in a few words. Where it takes most western poets 1000 words or more to do, the haiku poet can do, usually, in less than 15 words!
Haiku, the age-old poetic form of Japan can also be used to create love poems. For example, consider this haiku:
spring morning --
a strand of her hair
between the kiss
In just a few short words, a picture is created. This is the beauty of haiku. It gives you a snapshot of a present moment - something that has taken place and is precious, but fleeting. The Japanese were and are masters of capturing these kinds of moments.
All it takes are three lines and a subject to talk about. Most modern haiku poets do not adhere to the 5-75 syllable rule. Their main concern is to capture the spirit of the subject the haiku way. And this means using present tense descriptions. The beauty of the haiku poem is that it really captures the present moment better than any form of poetry! And when it comes to love poems, what could be better than a present moment preserved forever with just a few words.
With economy and elegance, haiku take you to the scene.
Usually, haiku are about nature. The term senryu is used to describe a poem like haiku where the subject is the human realm. Both are similar in form and structure.
About the Author: Edward Weiss is a poet, author, and publisher of Wisteria Press. He has been helping students learn how to write haiku for many years and has just released his first book "Seashore Haiku!" Visit us now at http://wisteriapress.com and get the FREE report: "How to Write Haiku!"
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