hokku

COMING SOON An appraisal of hokku as distinct from haiku. Whilst we think that all this can be unified within a coherent typological schema [see illustrated example below], nevertheless, the idea of splitting ancient and modern is not to be sniffed at as a useful fix in the meanwhile (and probably for some time to come).

crossroader: How much of what you share here, in your haiku diary, would you consider to be hokku, as opposed to haiku? And how would you distinguish a good hokku from a good haiku? What would you consider your 'poem' below to be - hokku or haiku?

LEAVE GATE AS YOU FOUND IT

tell the autumn gale

marines

jp: It's not so much what is a "good" ku (other than technical requirements, who is to say?). No, it's all about presenting a dream, via minimal suggestive text, which conveys (delivers) an experience one had. The source of that experience is irrelevant. Moreover, simply presenting a 'still life' out of natural history or concepts is not enough; there needs to be an allusion giving purpose to that otherwise shallow offering. Fortunately, it is quite difficult to override the psyche's natural tendency to speak in codes. Of course, this innate 'double talk' can drag a ku down deeper than the worm's grave, or lift it to heights where angels tread water vapour and starlight. In that regard everything I write aspires to employ hokku's basic techniques and this in the sense of the classical exponents. . .

"However, a small group practising hokku have chosen to return to the structural mechanics used by the original translators of Japanese haiku into English. This group, as a result of differences in content, structure and practice, considers itself as working on a different form than the path contemporary haiku has taken." - David Coomler

FOR A GENERAL BACKGROUND HAVE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MATERIAL HERE (especially the essays).

ALSO SEE (some how-to on hokku)

This is sort of tangential, but first read this blog by David: BEYOND BELIEF -- below is my private comment to the author . . .

I stopped comments also. The reason being that there were none and this looked bad. Also, pointless. Well, yes there were some, but not enough to seem worth the barrenness feeling. My theory is that the better the information the more intimidated readers become. They think they are unworthy to post unless encouraged by turning the information into a social event. Frankly, I find that counter-productive, to be honest. On Facebook type sites is the place for all that and even there I’m personally pulling back from the nonsense. So, yes, I agree with your strategy. It’s more civilised and diplomatic. A kind of social kung fu. My own method is to either not have comments but offer my email, or (on another main site) sweep the comments every other day — or state that this is the case. However, you have done this white lie better than I.

As for holy text. It is tempting to normalise and say these were written by people and that people are just people and we are all equally prone to error. My own experience leads me to agree in the main but to place the caveat that there is more to sacred texts than the people who mediate the information. For example: The Tao Te Ching (but it could be any of them, really). There is a frame of mind for composing this type of mystic verse. It harnesses a certain meditative stillness and poise. One begins a sequence that can have no referential ending, or it can have one – both at will. How this works seems to be that the contemplative aligns with universal information by beginning with whatever word, phrase or sensate image and conduits through the facilities available within the training and innate abilities of that person. Then one lets rip. All that is required during the process is that the process has an agent holding fast until completion. If the agent breaks consciousness then it can be quite difficult to pick up the thread again. In which case, mission aborts. Only much later can it be tried again as the inspiration is needed to fuel the event. Therefore, I both agree and disagree with your thesis that people are fallible when scribing holy wit. It all depends on the person and their skills of alignment and maintenance of that alignment with the universal data-matrix.

I’ve bookmarked your site and will have a look around from time to time. One of my interests in haikai et al is the challenge of unifying all the variety, both ancient and modern, within a plain diagram. A typology centred on Matsuo’s latter year ideas (or rather, using this as a mythic pivot). Imagine a snowflake design and you will have a rough idea of the underlying template. Only in 3-D to have a full organisational cosmos. Only those in the outer darkness will be reviled. That is to say, all are included. This would cauterise much bloodshedding in the global haikai arena. Not that for one minute do I think it will be regarded as useful to pundits already blinded by their own glory. But, you never know. Besides, it clarifies my own mind about these interesting enough things and adds power to the elbow of one’s debate.

All the best.

John Potts

PS

Will blog this comment and give you a name drop.

SOME ODDS AND ENDS

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