An old silent pond ...
A frog jumps into the pond,
splash! Silence again.
— Matsuo Basho, translated by Harry Behn
Hey, Sebastian here. I’m a Brand Writer at Focus Lab. Natalie has graciously allowed me a guest spot on Create First. Thanks, Natalie!
Natalie’s last newsletter encouraged us to pause and be present, which sparked a lot of conversation for us here at Focus Lab. We asked ourselves, “What are some ways we allow ourselves to pause?” In that spirit, I’d love to share one way I do this: I like to practice the art of haiku.
A writer talking about their love for haiku? I know, you’re rolling your eyes. But I’m here to tell you — haiku is for everyone, “writer” or not. In creating them, you’re given a quick, low-commitment opportunity to pause and engage your senses as you take in and make observations about the world around you. And they don’t even have to be big or important observations. The tiniest, most inconsequential ones will do.
Now, there are three things to know about how haiku are typically structured:
- They focus on a specific image or action, usually something related to the natural world.
- They’re three lines long: seven syllables in the first line, five in the second, and seven in the third.
- The last line provides some kind of “twist”: a humorous or insightful observation, or an unexpected turn.
But, most importantly, there’s one more thing to know about haiku: You don’t need to follow any rules at all. Go wild with your syllables and line counts. Write about whatever you want. The key point here is to write. Play. Create. Make an observation nobody else has before. Because nobody experiences the world quite like you do.
As the weather starts to turn more agreeable up here in Michigan, I’m challenging myself to write a haiku every time I take my dog around the block — letting my senses guide me as I try to consider the world a bit differently. How can I look at the grass in a new way? What are the birds saying when they sing? How could I describe a certain sensation, and what does it remind me of?
By the time I’ve returned to my desk, I’ll usually find that I’m feeling just a little lighter than I was before. And I hope the same is true for you.
