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Charles Henderson Biography

Never would I have thought I would start writing at 73 years of age. I have thoroughly enjoyed my voyage into the written spirituality of poetry and am thankful for the opportunity. In my seven years here I have met many new and wonderful persons. Having them accept me as a friend has been a moving experience.

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Please Get Interested in Learning Haiku

Blog Posted by Charles Henderson: 11/6/2012 1:56:00 PM

I am so thrilled to see so many new names on the soup writing Haiku poetry. On the home page down about middle ways is a link to various kinds of poem, including Haiku. When I pulled that up, 50 poems posted yesterday (the 5th) were there. I read all 50 and I must say that very few are even close to Haiku. Though I applaude the effort and intent which many of you made I only saw 7 poets whose poem was Haiku. They were, Yazmin, Sandra, Torente, Debbie, Robert, Elizondo and Cynthia. Forgive me if I missed your's, as I was scribbling while I read. If you posted a Haiku yesterday and are interested in whether or not I considered it Haiku, please soup mail me or email at cghenderso@msn.com. If you will include your poem/s which you posted, in the soup mail or email I will give you my reasons why I do not consider that it is Haiku. Anyone interested in learning how to write Haiku period, whether or not you posted one of those yesterday, I will be glad to give you my attention. Like anyone else who knows how to write it, I do not always write good Haiku. However, usually after it sits and stews for a couple of days, I can spot what is wrong with it. One of my pet peeves is anyone who comments to a poor haiku and brags or compliments the poet on how good it is, really is doing a dis-service to the poet writing the poem. It gives them a false sense of knowing what they are doing and UNLEARNING a form is very hard. One huge problem is that many of the people reading it do not truly know the form. Correcting that is the reason for this blog. Even though I have seen comments about beating Haiku to death on the blogs, I do not feel like giving up as long as less than 15 per cent of the poems posted are really Haiku. My goal is for 85 per cent of you who wish to write it, to know how.

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Jancarl
Campi

Date: 11/7/2012 1:01:00 PM

A good haiku will really do. North to south and east to west. Haiku will pass every test. They are fun to write that is the test. So stay in form and do your best.

James Marshall
Goff

Date: 11/7/2012 5:25:00 AM

I encourage all, forever....endlessly, not my job to tell them how to write....if they saw beauty and feel more connected to the universe, I am content...from the land of the wolf.....jimbo

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/7/2012 9:49:00 AM

I'm only encouraging all to go beyond themselve Jimbo, and find feelings they didn't know how to express. Haiku done correctly can do this. I applaude all your attention and dedication to poetry.

Brian
Strand

Date: 11/7/2012 1:44:00 AM

We have had this discussion every few months on PS over the years.The reality is there are three types of haiku...the original in Japanese...translation of those haiku into English...Western (inc English language) style haiku.With regard to the latter there are no exact 'rules' ..this is poetry. One either likes the three lines or not. How they are labelled here is something for PS team still to address.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/7/2012 1:26:00 PM

I went an HSA weekend semiar recently and identification of haiku was paramount in the three two hour discussions we had. Without some kind of guidline the japanese will be laughing much harder than now at our attempts to emmulate their poetry, no matter how much freedom is preached. I feel it is up to us to critique ourselves not PS. Haiku is much larger than any website.

Joann Grisetti
Date: 11/7/2012 7:33:00 AM

Very good comment. I do not like most of "modern" haiku - I am a traditionalist. But would not criticize another poet.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 9:42:00 PM

PD, My edited version of this blog: "Hi all Soupers, I would like to invite all poets who are interested in tradional haiku to a blog/workshop where I will showcase a variety of published haiku and outline what makes them traditonal, the required elements for traditional Japanese haiku. You are welcome to bring your own haiku to this blog, if you believe that your haiku needs help. Though I too am learning, I have a marvelous instructor who is well known in the haiku circles. Traditional haiku is my passion and I would love to discuss its form and craft with those who feel the same. Wishing everyone happy writing...

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 9:20:00 PM

The hospice nurse / weeps for the dying girl / in pulp fiction By Cyndi MacMillan

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/7/2012 1:04:00 AM

the reason for no title is it unfairly gives more syllables to explain the haiku. So to title is to fudge or cheat a little bit. On soup if you use words that are in the haiku to title it then you will not be adding syllables to the poem.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/7/2012 12:17:00 AM

to P.D. I did look at your string. The top 2 are good haiku. The bottom two are not haiku. They each have 3 parts. btw you continue to say haikus. Plural of haiku is haiku. Also haiku do not have titles as you did inside string. To title to post on soup you should use any words in your poem as they are written.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/7/2012 12:07:00 AM

implied comma at end of line 2 seems to be the cut. juxt from weeping hospice nurse to pulp fiction. two parts.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 9:46:00 PM

Okay, I'm going to take a quick looksie, then I NEED to go to bed. My girl's internal clock did NOT change (@!#$%) and I'm feeling pooped. LOL.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 9:44:00 PM

I know. I know. Really. I do get why you're cheesed. I am beginning to think that communication is a big problem here on soup. There is what we say. Then there is what we MEANT to say. Then there is what we WANT to say but don't. Then there is the DAMMIT why DID I say THAT? At least this is true for me :)

Poet Destroyer A
Date: 11/6/2012 9:38:00 PM

Cyndi, I know that it was not meant to offend,,, Hey, but it does..., I read all them poems the other day, and more then 7 poets had smoking hot haikus...

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 8:10:00 PM

orioles insist/ there must be music/ for my reverie/ Joan Vistain, Antioch, Illinois/ Published by the HSA in Frogpond Magazine (Um, how do birds insist? Isn't that subjective? A one line subjective haiku published by Frogpond. )

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 11:42:00 PM

Cyn, The one liners are not really one liners. They usuall have an implied comma at the point of the cut. Just like the orioles insist, there is an obvious implied comma there. So that makes it a normal short phrase and two combined short phrases gramatically connected. not one long phrase through the cut.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 11:29:00 PM

At first appears subjective but is objective. A noisy bird very concrete. trying to sleep also concrete. Traditional two part juxt from loud birds to someone dozing.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 8:07:00 PM

burnt toast on the floor/ jam on the spoon/ last memory of grandpa/ Scott J. Kirshenbaum, Chicago, Illinois Published by HSA, Frogpond (please show me how these three sentences are gramatically linked)

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 11:25:00 PM

two parts=At first glance this seems to be 3 parts but there is an implied comma at end of line 1, so the cut is at end of line 2 which is end of part one. line 3 is 2nd part juxt from 1 and 2. again the truth of line 1 and 2 is only revealed after reading line 3. very subjectively modern. The writer put himself into the poem.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 8:01:00 PM

one by one/ a son carries out/ the contents of her life/ Robert Epstein, California Published by HSA, IN FROGPOND

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 11:18:00 PM

I would have to say this is cross over from tradition to modern. One by one seems subjective but contents are objective. But when one by one is id'd it becomes objective. Weird

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 11:12:00 PM

two parts ---part 1 visual part 2 (lines 2 and 3 are also visual) Very unusual. The cut has to be after line 1 yet you do not know what line 1 is until you read the rest of the poem. Highly unusual, but have seen it discussed before.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 7:54:00 PM

the nature trail/ disappearing into/ his loud complaints/written by Robert Epstein, California PUBLISHED BY HSA, IN FROGPOND

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 11:08:00 PM

2 parts part 1 nature trail visual/ part 2 disappear into complaints (sound)

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 7:33:00 PM

The rabbit I meet/ remains as still/ as the air we breathe (really happened this weekend) Cyndi MacMillan

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 11:05:00 PM

two parts part 1 visual (still rabbit) part 2 the still air. Juxt from the rabbit to the air.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 7:57:00 PM

AWK. GOOD CATCH! LOL. Thanks. I really enjoyed this encounter. I live in an apartment, but the building has a creek behind it. I walked to the store (something I seldon get to do on my own) no hint of wind, cold, and I almost step on a rabbit. It just stays there and looks at me. We both stayed there like that for a good 5 mins. It was nice.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 7:28:00 PM

One rose wept/as she touched the cool silk/of his casket Cyndi MacMillan

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 11:01:00 PM

Two parts the rose wept and the casket. Two visual perception juxt from the rose to the silk casket.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 7:20:00 PM

The bed sheet/ leaves the laundry line/to follow the breeze Cyndi MacMillan

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 10:58:00 PM

two parts Katie: A visual bed sheet #1 and "leaves the laundry etc. =part @2' another visual sensory perception.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 7:14:00 PM

just for fun / people an age I once was/ run up the mountain.... Frogpond, published by HSA

Debbie
Guzzi

Date: 11/6/2012 7:13:00 PM

you do know that even if one actually has written a haiku to the simplist criteria..that doesn't make it a good haiku or a good poem...haiku//2 parts/showing [ie sensory input] not telling [ie opinions & imaginings] IN 'the moment' [PRESENT TENSE]is not TOO much to ask geeezzz louise

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 10:51:00 PM

I'll drink to that. Think I will refresh my scotch. Carolyn made some bxxxxing home made veggie soup tonight. Wow, I can hardly breathe.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 10:48:00 PM

Had to leave to watch election for a few mins back there. Cyn please see my comment below on the two part --late oak ku.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 7:21:00 PM

Have you read or enjoyed any of Kerouac?

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 7:16:00 PM

I agree that even haiku that is written in its tradional format can fall flat. Just like a free verse can lack oomph or verse can loose its flow or any poem can lack a beginning, a middle and an end. All poetry can either leave the reader content or disatisfied. HI THERE :)

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 7:11:00 PM

a late oak leafs out her first word -----------Frogpond, published by HSA

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/7/2012 1:21:00 AM

Just noticed your comments. It means in the spring the tree is late leafing out. It is still bare and others have buds. "Word" a metaphore for leaves. Moden haiku tends to favor metaphore in spite of stated opinions otherwise.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 10:45:00 PM

a late oak=part one leafs out her first word=part 2 juxt from bare tree to one with sprigs.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 7:23:00 PM

LOL. Really, me neither. Though, I think it refers to the sound of the last leaves, the rustle?

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 7:05:00 PM

Okay, now I am REALLY confused. Charles, some time ago you told me that Frogpond publishes anything ... your point of view... considering the amount of submissions they get, and the number they actually publish, I disagree with this point. BUT now I see that Frogpond is published BY THE HSA?? Okay, so according to your statements in the comments of this blog, if I find even ONE haiku in the Frogpond which is written in one part then ??? Cause I'll find one. Betcha 10 nickles that I'll find one.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 10:40:00 PM

Cyndi, there is no way to juxt. a one part haiku. A one phrase haiku yes, but not one part. A one part would be something like "the singing bird" and that would be all.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 10:36:00 PM

Well, what I meant by anything is that members send in contributions to be selected for print. A panel of x number of people sit around a desk and pick the ones they like for publication in frog pond. It's not like they have any criteria. But only good haiku get selected.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 6:57:00 PM

He holds his cards/over his lap- full house

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 6:56:00 PM

Reading the sutra/ I decided/ to go straight JACK KEROUAC (okay now who doesn't like this one? It's quite funny!)

Joann Grisetti
Date: 11/7/2012 7:42:00 AM

Ruben, there were many sutras,not just the infamous one.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 7:17:00 PM

I had the book. Some of the names are hillarious.

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 6:55:00 PM

You’d be surprised/ how little I knew/even up to yesterday JACK KEROUAC

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 6:54:00 PM

Taghagata neither LOATHES/ nor LOVES /His body’s milk or shit JACK KEROUAC

Tracy
Edwards

Date: 11/6/2012 6:50:00 PM

stylish hat/ socks hung over screens~/ pompoms fall..

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 6:58:00 PM

Yeah. My pom poms are so fallen.LOL

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 6:48:00 PM

Tracie, oh yeah. Let's ku! xox

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 6:47:00 PM

The booed cheerleader/ lifts her tiny skirt and / turns her other cheek.

Tracy Edwards
Date: 11/6/2012 6:51:00 PM

Hehe Luv it..

Tracy
Edwards

Date: 11/6/2012 6:47:00 PM

I feel a Ku'Off coming on... Ohhhhh yeah....

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 6:04:00 PM

The little sparrow/ on my eave drainpipe/ is looking around JACK KEROUAC, a haiku poet recognized by HSA. Hell, wasn't he one of the freaking founders?

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 5:51:00 PM

"POP--American (non-Japanese) Haikus, short 3-line poems or “pomes” rhyming or non-rhyming dilineating “little Samadhis” if possible, usually of a Buddhist connotation, aiming towards enlightment. BOOK OF POPS." Kerouac's definition of haiku. What does the HSA say about Kerouac?

Tracy Edwards
Date: 11/6/2012 5:57:00 PM

Shhhhhhhhhush Ru you'll get Catie in trouble :D lol

Tracy Edwards
Date: 11/6/2012 5:56:00 PM

To Ku or not to Ku... I have this philosophy I kinda stick to..If I like it it stays lol xxx

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 5:55:00 PM

If you like it, if other people enjoy it, then there is NOOOOOOOOOO problem. If you wish to explore tradional form, do. Whittle, practice, hone. ALL IS GOOD!

Joann
Grisetti

Date: 11/6/2012 5:48:00 PM

I find a number of the poets just seem to pick a form at random, not just haiku. ABC is often used and has nothing to do with an ABC form.

Tracy
Edwards

Date: 11/6/2012 5:35:00 PM

I luv my Ku's but now save them for my webpage set to artwork, mostly my photo's.. xxx

Cyndi
Macmillan

Date: 11/6/2012 4:16:00 PM

Hey chum, I understand we all have our... sensitivities... mine, as you know, lol, is creativity, the ability to express oneself as one wishes, as long as it does not hurt anyone or objectify children. How someone writes and what they choose to learn is up to them, yes? Do I think its marvelous that there are those on the site who know a form down pat and are willing to share that knowledge? Darn tooting! I think that the teachers should add a little "Willing to teach haiku" right at the top of their bios. I was at the library today. There were several published and well known haiku books there. I glanced through them. Half of the published works do not use traditional haiku form. These are celebrated and recognized English (stupid term as Japanese haiku poets also write modern and contemporary haiku. The movement is global) I believe one title was a year of haiku... hmmm... will check the internet. So, it seems rather redundant to tell poets on an amateur poetry site that they are not writing true to form when those who are recognized in the haiku world are writing similar style haiku and THEY ARE NOT BEING CRITICIZED BUT PUBLISHED AND GIVEN AWARDS for the same style. Now, do I agree that evey haiku on the site is haiku? No. Do I think the poet enjoyed their experience writing the MY-ku. Probably. I understand your frustration, but there may be another way to pave that highway. Like my gran used to say, "Vinegar will never entice the fly. Be honey." :) Did I word this better than I have in the past? I really tried! ;-) Hugs Cyndi

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 5:30:00 PM

the poem could also be interpreted 1 part under the floodlight -- 2nd part i see my breath disolve into the night You see the light and juxt to the breath.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 5:15:00 PM

Another thing is it depends on who the publisher is for them to be authoritative. Some people publish whatever and call it anything. You give me something from hsa or by Higginson, or, Michael Dylan Welch (3000 publications). Michael has many 1 liners, but all with 2 part and jux.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 5:15:00 PM

THe world of publishing is vast! You said "ANYWHERE" published. Anywhere is a big field. HUGE! Publishers are publishing ... gotta fly. Can we debate this later? I am enjoying this? Is this okay? Oh, my dad and I used to lock horns. It was lovely. LOL

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 5:12:00 PM

???? It reads as one continuous FLOWING sentence. (PS I am smiling. This reminds me of the 'wrastles' that my dad and I used to have. Long into the night. Oh, I really miss him...) Under the floodlight, I see my breath dissolve into the night. Two parts: A raven caws/I see my breath dissolve into night

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 5:06:00 PM

I see two. I see the breath and I see it disolve. Two parts.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 5:03:00 PM

Publisher SOFT SKULL... not self published.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 5:02:00 PM

You, crack me up girl. You show me any published one part haiku on the HSA website or in any of their published works and I will publickly apologize for any statement I have made here about it. I'm not talking of one liner. But one sensory perception and no jux.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 5:01:00 PM

under the floodlight/I see my breath/dissolve into the night. ONE! ONE! ONE! Published! Go to the amazon site. Look through the book. PUBLISHED!

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 4:59:00 PM

http://www.amazon.com/The-Haiku-Year-Tom-Gilroy/dp/1887128255#reader_1887128255 should have played poker with ya.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 4:58:00 PM

You are talking apples and oranges. A portrait has no difinitive rule, a haiku does. That is why Haiku Society of America and publishers accept and reject certain works. If one wishes to call it a three line poem, that works for me and I will compliment on that basis.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 4:53:00 PM

The only thing I do not agree with in your reply is that I'm criticizing for them writing the way published haiku is written out of form. That is not the point at all. I know what is being published and I never criticize for immulating that. Again, you will never see a one part haiku, a three part, or no juxtaposition haiku published. Senryu can have one part and no jux.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 4:52:00 PM

You are right about the three parts. Haven't seen that anywhere, not in modern or in contemporary! But if the poet has seen haiku, read haiku and CHOOSES to write what they interpret as haiku, that is up to them? Yes? It's like telling a painter, nope you call that a portrait but its twisted, unreal so it can't be a portrait. To the artist it is a portrait.

Cyndi Macmillan
Date: 11/6/2012 4:49:00 PM

Charles, are we comfortable with each other? I think so. So, as far as the one part goes, I say BOLLOCKS! Not at you, but at that statement. The books I looked at HAD one part haiku, recognized as haiku!! Not kidding, not pulling legs!

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 4:43:00 PM

Cyndi- -I'm not talking about the things you mention here, and they are very worthy points. No haiku is recognized that has three parts. No haiku is recognized which has one part. Those two things were all that I looked at in the poems I checked. They were all either one part or three. You will find none anywhere published like that. So, writers on the soup are not imulating published work.

Nathan
D.

Date: 11/6/2012 3:11:00 PM

You said----> I read all 50 and I must say that very few are even close to Haiku. Though I applaude the effort and intent which many of you made I only saw 7 poets whose poem was Haiku.-- Now I'm thinking out of the 50 haikus on that page. Only 7 poets were to your liking. SORRY everyone else we must need some more schooling when it comes to 5-7-5. Says You! I’m tired of you insinuating poets here on the soup, cannot perform any legit haikus. Except for the names of the poets, you named on this blog. You think too much of your own opinion verbally. I know you’re talking about the new haikus list, however like I said insinuating.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 4:32:00 PM

I am not insinuating anything. I am saying that if those who wrote the non haiku wish to write it correctly, I can help and I am very willing.

Charles Henderson
Date: 11/6/2012 4:31:00 PM

I didn't say that only 7 were to my liking. I liked many of the poems and with a little nudge they could be haiku. But the way they are written they are not. Well over half of the poems have 3 parts. I'm sure you understand what that means. You are right, if the persons who wrote these non haiku wish to write them the way anyone who knows haiku says they should be, then a little schooling, or tweaking of their work is needed.

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