Poetry Pea - haiku and other English Language Japanese short forms

What makes a great haiku? Is it the cleverness of an image, the beauty of its construction, or the emotions it leaves behind? In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, Patricia explores poetry of Nick Virgilio, one of the influential pioneers of English-language haiku. From his famous Lily haiku to the playful imagery of Bass picking bugs off the moon, we look at Virgilio's distinctive approach to the short form, his use of sound, rhythm, alliteration and seasonal reference (kigo). We explore how one poet's work can influence another, consider the relationship between Virgilio's poetry and J.W. Hackett's haiku, and discover how Virgilio used sound tand rhythm. But there is another, much more personal side to his writing. We look at the deeply moving haiku he wrote following the death of his younger brother in Vietnam, including the poem that helped change Professor Donald Keene's view of the possibilities of English-language haiku. And, as always, Patricia has a few questions. Is it enough for a haiku be clever without being emotionally engaging? What is the point of poetry if not to engager with us emotionally? Is alliteration a bad thing? Join us for a closer look at Nick Virgilio, his contribution to English-language haiku, and the poetry that continues to provoke discussion. In this episode: Nick Virgilio and the development of English-language haiku The famous Lily haiku Kigo, seasonality and emotional resonance Sound, rhythm and alliteration in haiku The influence of J.W. Hackett Haiku about loss, grief and the Vietnam War Cleverness versus emotional engagement in poetry Further reading and references are included in the show notes. If you enjoy haiku, senryu, Japanese short-form poetry and thoughtful discussions about writing, reading and appreciating poetry, subscribe to the Poetry Pea Podcast. And if you've enjoyed this podcast, do please support us at BuymeaCoffee. Ginger tea being my tipple of choice.

Discover the inspiration of haiku, senryū and short form poetry with the Poetry Peacast, your podcast for haiku, senryu and Japanese short-form poetry. In this episode, we share poems curated by Arvinder Kaur, with a special thank you to her daughter, Simatra Singh, for providing the video inspiration. Enjoy the creativity of our poetry community and discover how a visual prompt can spark new ideas for your own writing. The final Poetry Pea Video Prompt of the year is now available on YouTube! Watch the video and submit your poems in the comments beneath the video to take part. Please note that submissions must be posted in the YouTube comments; emailed poems cannot be accepted. Have a video that could inspire a haiku? Patricia would love to hear from you. Videos should be around 25 seconds long and filmed in landscape mode. We're also planning the Poetry Pea podcast agenda for next year. Tell us which poetry forms, poets or writing techniques you'd like to explore. And if you've published a poetry book you'd like Patricia to read from and review on the podcast, get in touch and send her a copy. Enjoy listening, find inspiration for your own writing, and join our welcoming community of haiku and short-form poetry lovers. Support Poetry Pea through membership, a donation or by sharing the podcast with fellow poetry enthusiasts. Find links and further information in the show notes. Keep writing, and Ciao! Poets featured today: September’s Video Prompt Poets Lakshmi Iyer Mona Bedi Nicholas Klacsanzky Alicia Samson Sanjuktaa A Neena Singh Melissa Dennison Kim Klugh Joe McKeon Scott D. Anderson Joanna Ashwell Tony Williams Tom Bierovic Vaishnavi Ramaswamy Sheikha A. David Cox Rupa Anand, New Delhi, India Paul Callus Joshua Gage Bonus poets Diane Wallihan, frogpond. volume 43:3 Chiyojo, One Hundred Famous Haiku, Daniel C. Buchanan Ruth Happel, Little Marvels Anthology 2025 Kat Lehmann, Frogpond 47.2 Dave Lewis, Frogpond 43.1 Alvin B Cruz, Little Marvels Anthology 2025 Bob Lucky, Prune Juice #46 Jason Furtak, PPJ 3:22 Ashish Narain, Frogpond, 43:3 Sue Young, PPJ Autumn 2021 Atsujin, Japanese death poems, Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death, Yoel Hoffmann p137 Geraldine C Little, Frogpond, Volume V Number 3 Norman Silver, Frogpond Volume 45 : 3 Autumn 2022

In S9E41 of the Poetry Pea Podcast, Patricia explores the art of finding extraordinary moments in ordinary life, with haiku and senryū inspired by yellow grass, sparrows, a tiny snail, a piece of the Berlin Wall and a blackbird hunting for a worm. Along the way, Patricia examines the craft behind the poems, including the importance of kigo (seasonal reference) in haiku, concrete imagery, observation and the power of a surprising final line. She also shares her own works in progress, discussing what works, what doesn't and why sometimes a poem needs another look. Then it's your turn! Try three writing challenges: The Small Things That Save the Day — find the little moments that brighten your life. The Ordinary Made Extraordinary — look closely at an everyday object until you see it differently. The Marvels We Nearly Miss — discover the small wonders hiding in the corner of your vision. Whether you're an experienced haiku poet or just beginning to explore this wonderful short form, join Patricia for poetry, practical inspiration and an invitation to look at the world a little more closely. Remember your kigo when writing haiku, trust your concrete images, and don't feel you have to explain everything. Sometimes the smallest details have the most to say. Enjoying the Poetry Pea Podcast? Support our independent poetry community through membership or a one-off contribution on Buy Me a Coffee, or help by sharing the podcast with a poetry-loving friend. Keep your eyes open, notice the small stuff, and keep writing! Ciao! Episode notes Poets featured today: Bisshie Bill Fay, Jann Wright, Curt Pawlisch Issa trs Lanoue[i] CX Turner Barry Levine, Eric Sundquist, Ravi Kiran. Claire Ninham, Marian Olson, Samo Kreutz

Join host Patricia on the Poetry Pea Podcast for a Poetry Pea Salon with award-winning haiku poet Melissa Dennison, reading from her book Caravan: A Trail of Haiku. Discover the surprising poetic possibilities of snails, from silvery trails in the frost to the frustrations of a gardener. Melissa reads her haiku and discusses the inspiration behind her work, exploring seasonal references (kigo), juxtaposition, word associations and the art of finding poetry in the smallest details. Patricia and Melissa take a closer look at individual poems, discussing how contrasting seasons can deepen a haiku, how a single word can open up unexpected associations, and how poets can guide readers towards new ways of seeing the world. Melissa Dennison is a member of the Haiku Foundation’s Re:Virals team and was named among Europe’s top 100 haiku poets in 2025 and 2026. Whether you write haiku, enjoy reading Japanese short-form poetry, or are simply curious about how everyday observations become memorable poems, this episode offers inspiration and insight into the craft of haiku. In this episode: Melissa Dennison reads from Caravan: A Trail of Haiku Writing haiku inspired by snails and the natural world Kigo, seasonal contrast and juxtaposition Word associations and the layers of meaning in short poetry Exploring the poet’s intentions and the reader’s interpretation Find Caravan: A Trail of Haiku via the link in the show notes. Listen, enjoy, and perhaps look twice at the next snail trail you see. The Poetry Pea Podcast celebrates haiku, senryū, tanka, haibun and other forms of short poetry, bringing poets and readers together to explore the craft and joy of writing. Keep writing. Ciao!

Looking for tanka and kyōka inspiration? In this episode of Poetry Peacast, Patricia shares a selection of English-language tanka and kyōka to inspire your own Japanese short-form poetry writing. We explore how tanka can capture memory, childhood, grief, renewal, humour and everyday life – and how kyōka can use wit, satire and the conventions of traditional Japanese poetry in unexpected ways. Among the poems we hear are Yomono Akara’s satirical kyōka set in Yoshiwara, along with tanka by Reid Hepworth, Marion Clarke, Vandana Parashar, Colette Kern, Jenny Shepherd, Tim Cremin, Eve Castle, Ann Curran, Agus Maulana Sunjaya, Mona Bedi, Neena Singh, Joshua St Claire and Sara Winteridge. Patricia looks at what makes these poems work, including concrete imagery, the movement between external observation and emotional response, juxtaposition, sensory detail and the all-important turn in a tanka. If you’re writing tanka, kyōka, haiku or other Japanese short-form poetry, there are plenty of ideas here to get you reaching for your pen. The Poetry Pea tanka and kyōka submission deadline is 15 October, but if you’ve missed this call-out, don’t worry – there will be more opportunities to submit your work to Poetry Pea. The episode also points listeners towards other journals accepting English-language tanka and kyōka, check out the show notes . Listen, read, write – and keep writing. #tanka #kyoka #haiku #JapanesePoetry #shortformpoetry #poetrywriting #PoetryPea