How do you nail the last line of a haiku?
What are the key characteristics of a strong ending to a haiku?
What are the key characteristics of a strong ending to a haiku?
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Answers ( 1 )
Writing haiku isn't about the last line. Haiku is a poetic form that evokes sensation, through seasonal and classic references.
You probably just said, "what does that even mean?" Well, If I started to read a poem to you that began, "There once was a man from Nantucket," You might just laugh right there, because you recognized the form of the poem as a limerick. The form leads to knowledge that the poem will likely be bawdy (or just plain dirty) and be a joke. See? With 9 syllables I evoked a response, based on shared knowledge.
So Haiku. You may not have the shared knowledge base of Japanese symbols and classic references, but you have your own. Maple leaves in the autumn, holiday smells. The smell of hot tar and barbecue, those will evoke a feeling. We don't have the same wordplay as Japanese, but we have our own and you have your own.
Create that sensation, trigger those feelings, find those triggers and get that response!