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SELECTIONS
Susumu Takiguchi

 

WHCsenryu is a mailing list of the World Haiku Club which has been created for the sole purpose of doing an experiment. The experiment is to drop all the existing definitions and explanations which have been given to the so-called senryu in the West, including (and especially) those which are purported to distinguish this genre from haiku. In fact, the word “haiku” is banned in WHCsenryu, where we started our “senryu” journey without any preconceptions or received definitions, except for two characteristics, (a) our genre are short in form, and (b) they are about humour.

Our expectations are that by writing an enormous amount of such “senryu” and discussing them, we may reach a new definition that will enable us to call the genre, without any hesitation, senryu.

The following ten works are promising in this endeavour (in alphabetical order by surname):

 

1. wishing well a beggar falls over reaching for quarters Victor P. Gendrano California, USA   2. finding a small, cheaper bar, the engaged man drinks alone till morning Michael McClintock California, USA   3. hair already perfect she adjusts it again... newly engaged Jay Neville Oregon, USA   4. locked out again... now trying to squeeze through the pet door Jay Neville Oregon, USA   5. psychiatrists' dinner they all dance wildly with the belly dancers Bruce Ross Alberta, Canada   6. Altar to the gods? No, just my stolen fridge in the desert sand. Richard Stevenson Alberta, Canada   7. simple soup a long time cutting carrots into stars Anna Tambour New South Wales, AU   8. Garden Society lady, half a century ago maybe a blushing rose Florence Vilén Stockholm, Sweden   9. candles flicker-- watching him break the bread, she spills the wine Billie Wilson Alaska, USA

 

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