Would you like to learn how to write haiku poems? What are they? Haikus are a
traditional form of Japanese poetry, which usually employs three lines,
totalling seventeen syllables.
Ideally, they are a detailed observation about nature and the seasons, written in the present tense and involving the senses.
Subjects should have a lightness or springiness – like a blade of grass that bounces because an insect has just landed on it!
This type of poem also helps to focus an artist’s thoughts on a
subject and to find its “essence”. It is in tune with the Buddhist idea
of being “in the moment”.
Because our tropical climate has no real seasons (except Wet and less
wet!) this makes the composition of this disciplined artform more
challenging.
This form of poetry seem to come naturally to Frieda van Aller, as she
meditates, walks on the beach or tends her responsive garden.
Frieda, trained as a teacher in her native Holland, later
travelled extensively in Asia, particularly in India, where she lived
for some years in monasteries.
To her surprise, life then took a complete change of direction when she
married an Australian fisherman, Colin, and fished the waters off North
Queensland with him for twenty years. The couple now lives in Port
Douglas, running their relaxed and successful
B&B accommodation
business.
It's as though a tiny moment in time is captured in these haiku poems from Far North Queensland.
These are Frieda's observations of nature, coming to mind as, in tune with her daily surroundings of beach, jungle and lush, walled
garden, she delights as new rainforest flowers and sprays of orchids appear.
The
four mile long stretch of beach across from her home is reached by a
sandy path, winding through the jungle, where she often is surprised by glimpses
of nature that others may not even notice.
The beach itself is an ever-changing panorama of sky, sand and sea creatures with fiery tropical
sunsets, soft early morning light revealing faint footprints in the sand or a build-up of dark clouds about to burst with
rain, all offering a kaleidoscope of moods.
These haiku poems are presented for your enjoyment and will be added to regularly - so please come back often!
Fleeting Moments in Far North Queensland by Frieda van Aller
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silver fish in sea |
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such age-old image |
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neat, freshly raked path |
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the scent of jasmine |
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this early morning |
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If you would like to see more of Frieda's haikus, please bookmark this
page - or use the very convenient RSS feed, as explained on the
navigation bar.
By arrangement, as part of Artquest Port Douglas,
Frieda will usually be available to hold sessions on constructing haiku poems. Some artists
consider that this activity helps them to focus on an aspect of their
art practice, particularly if it involves the observation of nature - which it should.
If so, please share it with us all?
Click below to see haikus that other visitors to this page have written...
Nocturn
This late hot night
A lightning bolt snaps the sea
A glimpse of leaping whale.
Australian haikus
Cloud heavy with rain
Warm torrent pours on me wet
Taste the water world
Comments
Yes
by: Jill
Yes, indeed. Well put, Faye. I guess that …