nature – Almost An Author

It was Sunday. I woke up fairly early (that’s 8 or 8:30 for me) and looked at the date. January 24.

What a minute—what? I was shaken fully awake by the realization that the next day, January 25, was Almost An Author Blog Post Deadline Day.

Cue the music . . . duh-duh-duh!

What am I going to do? What I am going to write about? Will they fire me by ending a sentence with preposition?

I got up and wrote a thrilling, deep post.

Okay, that’s not true. I got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, headed off to church. The mysterious, “what’s it gonna be” post was in the back of my mind, but I concentrated on the worship and the message. The thought that I had a blog post due in 24 hours drifted away.

I came home, ate lunch, and settled in my recliner. That’s when the thought came back.

Oh, no, A3 deadline next day. WHAT AM I GOING TO WRITE ABOUT?

I didn’t grab my laptop to punch out perfect prose. I did what I usually do when I am at a loss for words and ideas: I took a walk. As I strolled down my country road, I felt led to look up.

Some background: I live in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, one of the most beautiful places on earth, but I often take it for granted. On this particular day, it was a bit chilly and overcast, not ideal for scenery with the barren winter, but I looked up.

That’s when I saw it, a glimpse of God’s amazing beauty. The mountains were there above me in all their majesty, still snowcapped from a weather system earlier in the week. The scene was framed by pine trees that were full along with some of the bare trees mixed in, intertwining to highlight the artistry.

I drank in the scene for a few minutes, and, of course, took a picture with my phone (Yes, I am THAT person). I continued my walk and felt a catch in my spirit—something to write about (There’s that preposition thing again).

My advice to you, writer stuck for words and ideas, is to look up. Sometimes, stepping away from the work and looking up to see the beauty around us are what we need. For many of us that can be hard to do, but the reward is great.

God’s beauty is there if we seek it, making it possible to share with others, whether it be through a painting, a photo, or words on the page.

It may even be through a blog post that was almost late.

Editor’s Note: Wonderful advice, but I’ll be watching for those prepositions! (Actually, it’s perfectly acceptable grammar to end a sentence with a preposition. So don’t worry.)

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.

Haiku: Poetic Forms II

We’re going to explore a very short Japanese form of poetry known as haiku. This type of poem reflects a simpler side of Japanese culture.

And you know me. Simple is just my style.

A haiku poem consists of 3 lines with a pattern of syllables arranged in 5, 7, 5. Usually the lines don’t rhyme, but in this type of poetry, sounds are not as important as the imagery anyway. Typically the subjects of these poems are about nature but not always.

When I write haiku, I personally focus on a natural scene that touches me in a unique way. Nature has a way of speaking to a poet’s soul without using words.

So how do we take those impressions and translate them into poetry?

[bctt tweet=”Nature has a way of speaking to a poet’s soul without using words. #poets #poetry”]

First, when writing haiku, it’s always important to use vivid figurative language (such as a simile or metaphor) to paint a picture of whatever scene or object you are observing. And you should always use concrete imagery to describe your subject, meaning you need to use language that appeals to the five senses.

I suggest you jot down words and phrases about your subject using the above techniques. Then begin to arrange the words and phrases into lines.

Because the form limits you on lines and syllables, you have to choose your words very carefully. It might appear an easy poem to write, but don’t be fooled. You may find that it takes some extra thinking to arrange the right words in an order that will speak poetically.

The point is that you want to show the reader what impacted you in order to let them experience that same feeling or emotion. You don’t want to tell them. Hence the golden rule of writing in general.

There’s a great description and examples of haiku poetry on www.literarydevices.net and Shadow Poetry.com.

If you need a little more guidance, Creative Writing Now also has excellent tips for writing haiku poetry.

You should probably take note that because haiku came from Japanese culture and language, it may be perceived and written a little differently in English. I am only conveying the accepted English guidelines for writing this type of poetry.

However, if you’re interested, Shadow Poetry also covers some of the cultural and language differences. As a bonus, they offer a host of resources for writing many other kinds of poetry as well.

[bctt tweet=”Simple is just my style. Learn to write haiku poems. #poetry #poets”]

Now it’s your turn.

Take a walk or find a quiet place to sit and observe an area outside. What inspires you? Do you notice anything that creates a unique impression? See you if can jot a few observations and create a haiku.

Feel free to post your poems or questions in the comments below!