I was reading the National Geographic and came across the story of Matsuo Basho, a 17th century Japanese poet. Basho expertise was in the art of the haiku, a shortened poem that usually leads into a longer poem or prose. A haiku consists of 3 line, unrhymed poem. Each line follows the five, seven, five syllables format.
Interestingly the famed poet, feeling life was slipping away from him embarked on a 1200-mile trek across the Japanese countryside, mostly on foot! He earned his keep teaching students. He spent his days filling his notebooks of descriptions of the poetic countryside.
I have never mastered the haiku. I never really saw an excellent example of the style until I read this article.
Sadly, I part from you;
Like a clam torn from its shell,
I go, and autumn too.
Narrow Road, 1689 by Matsuo Basho
Every now and then I feel the need to add a little poetry to the mix. I hope you enjoy.
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