Another Poetry Form: The Haibun

The Haibun is a Japanese form often used in a travelogue form. It is another brief form (lately I've been experimenting with brief forms). It consists of one or more paragraphs with one or more embedded haiku. The prose is often poetic in and of itself. It lends itself to reveal a special moment. The haiku amplify the prose by illustrating a direct or subtle relationship to the moment. Basho, a traveling zen monk is the originator of this form circa 1650. As he wrote them while he was traveling the same subject matter permeates modern Haibun.

I have a lot of travels that I have taken (and continue to take). I find it a great meditative form to use in my travel journals. I also lean toward poetic prose so this form allows me to explore that particular strength. Try it out.

*Poets and Writers has just updated their contests and residencies area. Check it out.
*In the future I will link some poetry form sites to my blog. Stay tuned