Enga mellom fjella

Not a haiku!

Just because it's short and has 17 syllables doesn't make it a haiku! In fact, if it has 17 syllables, it is probably way-too-long to follow the metrics of a 17 morae Japanese haiku. Note: mora (plural morae or moras) is a time unit. English is a stressed language. Japanese is not and the mora is a basic elelment of speech and prosody.

1.

Ducks quack.
The old pond freezes;
frogs slumber.

© Kåre Enga 2008 [164.455a] 2008-01-07

2.

A beige bird
flashes a hint of red.
Is it Spring or the sunset?
[164.455b]

3.

Temperature drops as socks wave from the clotheslines to clouds moving in.
[164.455c]

4.

I jumped out of the fishpond.
On dry land, I breathe, bake, thirst.
[164.455d]

None of the above quite fit the appellation: haiku.

#1 comes close. It has a season word and evokes emotion without expressing any. It also plays off of Basho's famous haiku. It only has 10 syllables but is a tad long at c. 20 morae.

#2 feels like what I have read in haiku, but borders on senryu as the human element is introduced. 16 syllables c. 28 morae.

#3 I've written as a Ginsburgian American sentence of 17 syllables.

#4 has only 14 syllables, but it is set up as a couplet of 7 syllables each. It feels like a call-and-response.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the above. It's just hard to know what to call short poems and prose at times.

WEATHER:

Three dead in tornados that hit Arkansas and Missouri yesterday. January tornados are rare. There was also damage in Illinois and Wisconsin. Today the threatened area stretches from SW Arkansas to W Kentucky, including parts of SE Missouri, W Tennessee and NW Mississippi.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080108/ap_on_re_us/severe_weather

In the meantime, it is 72º in Ithaca, New York. The Finger Lakes region of New York is normally buried under snow in January. Over 60º where my mom lives in WNY.

The warmth we had yesterday is long gone, but at least there wasn't any violent weather anywhere near here. We were fortunate.

ME:

I'm fine. I went to my doctor to say sayonara as the clinic doesn't accept Medicare. My blood pressure was down to 120-something over 70-something even though I haven't been taking my bp medication. Could my problems have been associated with stress? In which case I cannot afford to ever be stressed like I was for three years. In not-so-good news, my weight is still too high.

NEWS:

I am not a fan of the Boy Scouts, but at least this kid deserves a medal:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080108/ap_on_re_as/maldives_assassination_attempt

On the other hand, I am opposed to censorship. St. Charles, Missouri is considering a ban on swearing and certain types of music in bars? Maybe they should ban drinking ...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080108/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cussing_ban

I mean ... I don't have to like what you say or listen too ... I can always leave!

Football: Okay, LSU beat OSU but did anyone really think the best two teams played? There is plenty of support out there for USC and WV, even Missouri. Here in Kansas, with KU finishing 12-1 (the best record in the country), we harbor our own opinion.

BLOGVILLE:

chalaedra has published a book. The details are available in her blog. Perhaps that's why we haven't seen her much around here?

archgargoyle is leaving. I hope he keeps at least a free account so folks can keep in touch. So many people disappear totally. As a new father though he is very busy.

Kansas: 37º and chilly damp and dreary.

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