Today Frank hosts the dVerse Poets Pub. He is asking for brevity as in Japanese poetic forms of haiku and tanka. All haiku must have a seasonal reference (kigo) but not necessarily a syllable count of 5-7-5. Haiku and tanka are not given titles. If it does not have a seasonal reference, it is a senryu.
white wisteria –
ghosts in the trees weeping with
the misty spring rain
woodblock by Kono Bairei 1844-1895
kanzen sakura 
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:17:09
White wisteria, a beautiful two-word phrase. One sees weeping without having to even say it, really. And tanka and haiku aren’t given titles? Never knew!
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:19:14
Nope. No titles although some people give them titles. But it doesn’t matter. 🙂
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:17:34
A perfect capture–chilling & thrilling & visceral; smile
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:20:55
Gorgeous.
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:22:18
Thank you!
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:23:11
I’ve never seen white wisteria and the image is just so beautiful, Toni; it complements the gorgeous haiku, complete with alliteration.
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:24:48
Thank you Kim!
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:24:14
I like the woodcut and the idea of ghosts weeping in the rain.
Feb 15, 2018 @ 15:34:46
I love the ghostly image of white wisteria you create here Toni, it has a very meditative feel to it xxx
Feb 15, 2018 @ 16:14:34
Thank you for reminding me it will soon be wisteria time. Lovely!
Feb 15, 2018 @ 17:15:38
Absolutely stunningly gorgeous! You have such a gift with the simplicity of a haiku – which is anything but simple to achieve!
Feb 15, 2018 @ 17:34:30
Thank you Lillian. I do try hard.
Get Outlook for Android
________________________________
Feb 15, 2018 @ 17:47:00
Oh Toni, but that’s the point. It never seems like you’re trying hard….the words just flow in beauty…..You writing haiku, for the reader — is like the accomplished ballerina and her partner dancing a pas de demux, for the audience. The difficult is made to seem beautiful without effort! 🙂
Feb 15, 2018 @ 17:51:21
Bless you Lillian. I needed to hear this.
Feb 15, 2018 @ 17:56:00
Beautiful!
Feb 15, 2018 @ 18:25:20
How appropriate, ghosts are indeed weeping at this time
Feb 15, 2018 @ 18:26:44
Yes. We are all of us weeping today.
Feb 15, 2018 @ 18:42:16
😱
Feb 15, 2018 @ 20:38:33
Lovely, evocative haiku. White wisteria….I have lavender, but white is superb. As is your haiku.
Feb 15, 2018 @ 20:49:08
Lovely haiku
Feb 15, 2018 @ 21:01:53
Thank you!
Feb 15, 2018 @ 23:00:03
I like the way you combined ghosts with weeping!
Dwigth
Feb 18, 2018 @ 18:05:11
Thank you
Feb 16, 2018 @ 04:58:08
Beautifully evocative
Feb 16, 2018 @ 06:22:19
Beautifully visual
Feb 16, 2018 @ 06:56:14
A beautiful pairing. (K)
Feb 16, 2018 @ 08:41:56
some lovely pairings in this excellent haiku – misty/ghosts; weeping/rain etc
Feb 18, 2018 @ 18:03:06
Thank you
Feb 16, 2018 @ 10:23:54
lovely verse, lovely wisteria
Feb 16, 2018 @ 11:33:23
Beautifully done
Feb 16, 2018 @ 15:10:25
You’ve captured the grief in this exquisite haiku!
Forgive me, Toni…haiku/tanka on my blog are always “entitled”, although I know that is outside the rule.
Feb 16, 2018 @ 16:40:10
😋 I grant you special dispensation. Lol
Feb 17, 2018 @ 01:01:09
I visited Monet’s gardens at Giverny last summer. The white wisteria was just as you described it. Breathtaking!
Feb 18, 2018 @ 18:01:34
How wonderful you were able to visit his gardens. I was there in winter – not the same but it was how my travel ended up!
Feb 18, 2018 @ 20:09:23
It was magnificent! Do try to get there in May. The best!
Feb 18, 2018 @ 20:14:13
I can just imagine!
Get Outlook for Android
________________________________
Feb 17, 2018 @ 03:31:05
yes they do look like ghostly apparitions! I love how you write the haiku with so much grace and your explanation before hand was very informative, i am still struggling with them all and good to have pointers to stay on course. maybe my Tanka for this prompt became a senryu as it wasn’t seasonal just diurnal and had a title! but know what i am so glad to be learning from all of you, its a very encouraging community, ughh have blabbered on yet again. so much for brevity! but your haiku is very exquisite Toni. hope all is going well for you. blessings!
Feb 18, 2018 @ 17:59:39
A tanka is just a tanka and doesn’t have to have a seasonal reference. It originally started out as love poems – the ladies of the Japanese and their lovers would write elaborate poems to each other, extolling each other’s prowess or beauty! and yes, things are going well for me. I hope they are for you as well. 🙂
Feb 18, 2018 @ 23:17:21
thanks Toni! its good to have a deeper understanding of the form. things are ok here and so glad to know you have been keeping well. I recall you mentioning going back to studies and was thinking of that.
Feb 17, 2018 @ 10:38:20
Beautiful in cadence and texture of words.
Feb 18, 2018 @ 13:56:41
Perfect!! Yes, the blossoms of white wisteria are certainly wistful, and yes, maybe even sorrowful. I love this.
Feb 18, 2018 @ 17:56:34
Thank you! I love wisteria – white or lavender.
May 02, 2018 @ 09:38:31
Lovely images…my wisteria is has had a lot of moments of mist this Spring, but today, the sun is shining and the fragrance is wafting all around me in the breeze.
May 02, 2018 @ 11:13:41
I love that fragrance!
May 09, 2018 @ 14:19:48
I love the alliteration.
May 09, 2018 @ 14:29:25
Thank you!