Haiku Challenge: Twitter's Take on Poetry

Recently one of my fellow writers and denizens of Twitter, Alexis Lantgen, inspired me to do something I'd never truly considered before. Use Twitter for more than just 155 character snippets of though. Use it for poetry. And what poetry form could be more appropriate than haiku?

Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that uses 17 kanji for one poem, which English speaking poets translated to 17 syllables of 5 then 7 then five again. Traditionally, Haiku were about nature, but that is becoming less common, and let's face it, writing about falling leaves and cherry blossoms is really not my style. Another aspect of haiku is the use of juxtaposition or the "cutting word." Most haiku use imagery or symbols to strike a discordant note in the poem.

Anywho... here are my Twitter haiku from last week.

8/12

You say I'm grown-up,
But sometimes I am a child
who's just pretending.

8/13

Once Ulysses-proud,
Our world fell to the sea gods.
Oceans consume us.

8/14

Four years of laughter,
We celebrate more to come
with a new kitten.

8/16

Late in the evening,
I forget all I've not done
and fall swift asleep.

8/16

Yesterday's haiku
proved itself a lie, false hope.
A night without rest.

8/17

Paralyzing fear
distracts me from my duty.
I submit my work.

8/18

New Sunday morning
Cat chases the new kitten
I wish I still slept


I'm still working on the use of juxtaposition, but it's a nice way to start the morning. Who would have though Twitter could be a tool for poetic expression?

If you're interested in following my forays into the Twitter #haikuchallenge, follow me here, on GraceW_Writer