During October, I worked on the haiku, a short, unrhymed poetic form that originated in Japan. Haiku depict an image or a pair of images, which highlight a moment in time. A haiku is made up of 17 syllables arranged in three lines containing five, seven, and five syllables.
Naturally, the form must be adjusted for usage in English. The original haiku form is built on “mora” which is a measurement of syllable weight in Japanese. Mora in Japanese are arranged in a single vertical line, unlike English, which flows across the page in sentences.
When creating a haiku, it is important to use related but distinct images that work together to create a moment in time. The themes most common in haiku are the seasons or references to the weather, although in modern haiku, descriptions of life, humor, or personal feelings are also popular. Haiku written in English are not required to follow the strict 5-7-5 syllable count because of the nature of the language.
My Writing Goals for 2026
Continue to develop my poetry and connections with other poets:
Cannon Mine Poets Group: I did not attend this past month.
Columbine Poets: I enjoyed and learned from the in-person workshop on Question Poems presented by Linda Wittenberg in Lafayette.
Colorado Poetry Center: I did not attend in October.
Women’s Writing Collective: I prepared to read my poem Forbearance for the online poetry presentation of the book Something Inside So Strong at the WWC’s inaugural event on October 25, 2026. However, the presentation was attacked by a Zoom bomber and has been rescheduled.
Continue to make progress on my draft novels: N/A
Continue to develop a network of kindred spirits in the world of writing and publishing: A poet, whom I met at poetry events, just published a fascinating book of poetry, which is available on Amazon. I encourage you to read Larry LaVerdure’s recent poetry book Quest for Balance.
Document my writing progress through my blog and post it on the seventh day of each month, one blog per month in 2026:
I studied the haiku in October. I will study the rondeau in November, and the cinquain in December.
Today is November 7, 2026. I am posting my eleventh blog for 2026. November is my favorite month because my birthday occurs in November, and Thanksgiving has always been a beloved family holiday. However, this November, due to the drought that we are suffering on the Front Range in Colorado, I am worried about the survival of my lawn, trees, and hedges. My most recent haiku is inspired by our extremely dry weather:
Desiccating drought
Descends upon my garden
Flowers twist and dry
I wish all my readers, and their friends and family, a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
