A Poet's Haiku

Do they hang poets

in your country?

By the thumbs.

Ken e Bujold

2022

Reviews

[keith]

well, maybe
all depends on the definition of poet is ... we are what we write?
many escape such tortures as they carry their thumbs up their a*s!

on a serious note ... the dark days of censorship is at hand; all the more reason to write BOLDER!

your exercising poetic licensee is approved!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I think a lot of people here in Southern Illinois would like to do that...
we seem like lepers to a lot of people...
And so many come up to us at book signings and ask "So, do you think you will write a novel someday?"
as if poetry is only a stepping stone.
j.

[Ken e Bujold]

So true. Or the other one I love, do you think you could write me a poem...as if they're ordering a burger and fries to go

[Nusquam Esse]

In my opinion, this is best just kept as a short poem (one of my favorite poems is by Pablo Neruda and reads simply, "In what language does rain fall on tormented cities?"), without using haiku in the name. Simply put, this isn't a haiku, (syllable counts are significantly off, and adjusting the poem to match them would likely detract; technically speaking, if the syllables did match, it would still be a senryu rather than a haiku as haiku are specifically based on seasonal imagery) Unless that contradiction is part of the poem? I could see this sort of poem being a "rejection" of form; if that is the case, tweaking the syllables to match the 'absent thumb' in the counting would be a rewarding find for someone scrutinizing the counts. It would be quite amusing if it was a 4-6-4.

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks again for the insightful review Nusquam. Yes, technically this isn't a Haiku. My choice is deliberate though. What I am getting at is writer's are punished all over the world for any number of perceived slights or unacceptable views, which are typically justified by courts as being against the law. So, here's one more excuse, you write outside the box, flaunt the rules, we will take your thumbs

[W. Barrett Munn]

No, by the bushels. Unless they also write hymns.
Winston

[Lathen Griffiths]

A fun Haiku Ken, thanks for sharing.

Lathen

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks Lathen

[Cherrie]

What a fun poem .
If not a full on lynching they will throw rotten tomatoes.

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks Cherrie. In some places I've been they're likely to do both