Get Your Premium Membership
Charles Henderson
(Click for Poet Info...)

 

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.
               
    

     

Objective and Subjective Haiku

Blog Posted by Charles Henderson: 1/13/2016 3:15:00 PM

limping badly
I walk into the room...
someone crying

Is this poem considered subjective.  I attempted the subjective nature with the word 'badly' which means each person who reads the poem may feel differing levels of emotion in defining that word.  I am hoping each reader will interject their own level of "incapacity of the person" in evaluating the 'badness' of the limp. 

I have no problem with objective poetry but subjective seems to give me a fit. Originally I started to ask this on my poem page, but thought a blog would be a more proper or appropriate place.  It is something we have not discussed for a while unless I missed it.   It is my understanding that most old style haiku are objective, but most new style leans to the subjective????????? Leaving something up in the air, for the reader to determine for themselves.  If any of you have examples of subjective haiku, I would appreciate some being put on this blog.  Even if you don't have examples, I would certainly be grateful for any comments relating to the nature of subjective haiku. 

Oh, I should have done my homework first:

This a good ex. of subjective from Basho-  summer grass... those mighty warriors dream tracks (each reader has to use their own definition of 'dream tracks').  in other words the reader interjects oneself into the poem to determine what Basho meant, based on one's past experiences. 

good example of objective:  the pear blossoming... after the battle this ruined house  (he, himself describes exactly what he wants the reader to know so it is objective. 

I am really glad we sorted this out. 

Higginson in his book on haiku says: (Not a quote) that the language of haiku should be objective.  But it is my understanding (and would not be the first time I was wrong) that modern haiku is leaning toward subjective, especially in America.



Please Login to post a comment

Please stay on topic with your comments. Off topics comments may be removed. Thanks.



Characters Remaining:
Type the characters you see
CAPTCHA
Change the CAPTCHA codeSpeak the CAPTCHA code
 

Date: 1/21/2016 2:05:00 AM
Everyone trys to follow the basic form and stay within the bounds of their peers. Then when we each feel proficient, we experiement and bend the rules to fit us. When enough writers "bend the rules" in a similar direction then that new twist becomes a normal regional dictate of the form. It never means one has to lose their individuality. There is no right or wrong only conforming or far out.
Login to Reply
Date: 1/21/2016 1:55:00 AM
hey, Even Basho didn't always give a season word. His--[[ to the point of sucking on fishbones--looking at old age]] is shift, cut, and link and I personally do not see a seasonal reference. That does not mean there is not one. As individuals none of these are rules for us. They are only guidelines dictated by the way the greater number of haiku writers do their poems. The US has sort of become a standard of its own.
Login to Reply
Date: 1/15/2016 8:32:00 AM
Take a gander at this one: http://www.dailyhaiku.org/haiku/2015-december-29
Login to Reply
Date: 1/13/2016 3:58:00 PM
charles. I like both that you presented. I think another thing that gets argued is when people do metaphorical ones or haiku using personification. I have read some really good modern ones in that style. But my book is at home. i just love the ones that make me go Ahhhh
Login to Reply

Previous Blogs

 
My 129 mile walk down the Appalachian Trail
Date Posted: 12/13/2018 1:56:00 PM
How to make copyright and other symbols on the computer.
Date Posted: 2/20/2017 1:31:00 AM
Why Read Poetry Soup Poems
Date Posted: 12/6/2016 10:22:00 PM
True Beauty
Date Posted: 1/19/2016 6:48:00 PM
Objective and Subjective Haiku
Date Posted: 1/13/2016 3:15:00 PM
new kiddie trick
Date Posted: 1/8/2016 4:53:00 AM
A Neat Card Trick
Date Posted: 12/22/2015 8:33:00 PM
Charles' Answer to the Riddle blog
Date Posted: 12/22/2015 4:18:00 PM
A Riddle
Date Posted: 12/22/2015 9:51:00 AM
Haiku
Date Posted: 12/21/2015 9:08:00 PM
Expanding Deb's Blog
Date Posted: 5/19/2014 11:44:00 PM
Possum Branch Road
Date Posted: 3/31/2014 11:22:00 PM
Calling All, Want To Be, Haiku Writers
Date Posted: 2/20/2014 3:46:00 PM
My Bear Story Retold
Date Posted: 2/5/2014 2:35:00 PM
Poetry Soup Imbeded Ads
Date Posted: 11/4/2013 7:31:00 PM
The Elusive Monoku
Date Posted: 7/27/2013 11:20:00 PM
Computer Games
Date Posted: 7/12/2013 9:08:00 AM
Contest Winners and Bear String
Date Posted: 5/3/2013 11:47:00 PM
My Contest
Date Posted: 5/2/2013 2:01:00 PM
The Bear III
Date Posted: 4/1/2013 5:23:00 PM
Another Bear Story
Date Posted: 3/31/2013 10:23:00 PM
The no contest Contest
Date Posted: 3/30/2013 2:51:00 AM
Hanging Ten
Date Posted: 3/22/2013 10:59:00 AM
Feedback Wanted
Date Posted: 1/27/2013 1:06:00 PM
Wise Guys
Date Posted: 1/22/2013 9:28:00 AM

My Photos


photo

Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry