Poetry In Review: A Look At Matsuo Basho

Matsuo Basho (1644 – 1694) was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. He is recognized for his works in the haikai no renga, the Japanese form of popular collaborative linked verse poetry.

A Master at the Haiku, his poetry is known worldwide as well as in Japan where his poems are reproduced on monuments and at traditional sites. He wandered through the wilderness of Japan to gain firsthand experience of the world around him which he then encapsulated into his poetry.

Check out some of his poems.

Read more about writing Haiku poems.

It Smells Like Springtime - My Haiku Poem

Poetry In Review - A Look At Adelaide Crapsey

Adelaide Crapsey (September 9, 1878 – October 8, 1914) was an American poet who was born in Brooklyn, New York. As one of the first Imagist Poet she is noted for the creation of the American Cinquain, a five line poem of 22 syllables, inspired by the Japanese Haiku and Tanka.

Her life was cut short at the age of 36 when she passed away from tuberculosis. In the years before her death she wrote most of her verses in which made her famous. She also formulated the epigram into a new form of couplet, as seen in her poem “On Seeing Weather-Beaten Trees”.

Here are examples of Adelaide Crapsey’s Poems:

NIGHT WINDS by: Adelaide Crapsey (1878-1914)

The old

Old winds that blew

When chaos was, what do

They tell the clattered trees that I

Should weep?

NOVEMBER NIGHT by: Adelaide Crapsey (1878-1914)

LISTEN . . .

With faint dry sound,

Like steps of passing ghosts,

The leaves, frost-crisp'd, break from the trees

And fall.

To learn how to write your own Cinquain Poem click here.

To read a collection of my Cinquain poems click here.

Tanka Poem

Stream Of Regret

A Tanka Poem

Can you hear the stream

Trickling down with cold regret

Of a life not lived

Twisted turns not meant to be

Yet here I am without dreams

© 2012 Savanah Little All rights reserved

For more of my poetry click here.

A Haiku: It smells like springtime

Poetry In Review

Welcome to my Poetry In Review. Each week I'll be picking out one Poet to highlight and display here on my blog. We'll go over who they are as well as displaying some of their works. There are so many great writers who are unpublished and this is a great way to familiarize ourselves with them. I'll feature both published and unpublished writers since there are so many great published writers as well. So, check back in a week as I will be featuring the first Poet in my Poetry In Review.

A Brand New Year

Here we are, heading into month two of the year. Though this last year came with a lot of challenges and discouragement I am still very excited to see what the new year holds. With a new year comes new beginnings. I imagine that each year is like a canvas that can be wiped clean on December 31st. We all get to start fresh as the midnight hour approaches. Why can't life be that simple? Well, I've decided that it is.

It seems that, in the last few years, I've been so busy with my family and kids that I've lost myself a bit. Don't get me wrong. I love being with my family and I feel so fortunate to be able to stay home and take care of them but, in doing so, I've put my interests and passion on the back burner. So, this year I've decided it's time to get back to me, to pursue my dreams.

I think when you have kids, especially young babies, you have to have balance. For me it's a juggling act between taking care of the kids and the house, helping my husband with his business and pursuing my writing. It sounds like a lot even to me but it's possible, I believe, to have it all. Things just might not happen as fast because there's only so many hours in a day, but in the end it's about the process and enjoying the journey.