Description
The haiku, a very concise poem that highlights the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of our lives, originated in Japan over 400 years ago. Japanese aesthetic concepts have influenced haiku writing for centuries. In this six-part on-line class, we will start with an introduction to the major elements of haiku, and then we will examine six Japanese aesthetic concepts and how they continue to inform modern English-language haiku. Wabi sabi is the appreciation of beauty in that which is imperfect, incomplete, or impermanent. Yugen means quiet grace and mystery. Ma can be defined as an emptiness full of possibilities. Mono no aware is about pathos and deep compassion. If you write with Karumi, that means that you write with a light touch. Zoka is the dynamic energy of nature. Each week, we will also try our hand at writing haiku inspired by these Japanese concepts.
Brad Bennett’s haiku have appeared in over thirty magazines and journals. He has published two collections of haiku, a drop of pond (2016), and a turn in the river (2019). a drop of pond won a Touchstone Distinguished Book Award from the Haiku Foundation. He has taught haiku to children and adults for over twenty years.
