Tuesday, February 23, 2021

FAVORITE BOOKS CAN INSPIRE HAIKU

Day 22 Prompt – FAVORITE BOOKS CAN INSPIRE HAIKU

From the favorite childhood picture books that are now read to children or grandchildren, to the novel that is currently on the night stand, a book can inspire haiku. Settings, plot-lines and provocative characters can fuel creativity. Even if the haiku doesn’t overtly reference the source of inspiration, aspects of favorite books can inspire haiku.

A well-written story without illustrations can conjure an image in the mind. Even if there is no detailed description of a scene, the imagination fills the gaps and attempts to answer the questions that are unanswered in print. Reading the exact same passage, no two readers will develop the same image in their minds. This can inspire haiku.

Sometimes when I turn the page, the story changes in a direction I wish it had not gone. Enjoying the book enough to keep reading, part of me wishes something different was happening, or at least, I long for the characters to remain in that moment a bit longer. This can inspire haiku.

While reading, a compelling character can appear and evoke an unexpected powerful reaction. Perhaps they will remind one person of a relative, friend or enemy, while they remind another person of themselves, either who they used to be, who they are now, or who they aspire to become. This can inspire haiku.

Even non-fiction can be a source of inspiration. That self-help book that helps with personal healing, or a deeper understanding of the issues of life, or brings the reader to an “ah-hah” moment, can be fodder for poignant haiku. Life lessons and self-discovery can fit nicely in to three little lines.

I’d like to say I am never surprised when haiku occurs to me while reading. Honestly, often I am.

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