Prompt for Hour Six

This next prompt is inspired by a dear friend of mine (who is a past poetry marathon participant). The challenge is to write an English haibun.

A haibun is a traditional Japanese form that combines prose and haiku. The prose section should be approached like prose poetry and every word should be made to count. Most poets suggest that the prose section should be no more than 120 words, but if you want to make it longer go for it.

Then end with a Haiku. The haiku should serve as the climax or epiphany to the text that proceeds it.

Traditionally an English haiku is three lines the first being 5 syllables long, the second being 7, and the third being 5. Traditionally a haiku is about nature, but yours does not have to be.

You can learn more about the haibun and read some examples here.

5 thoughts on “Prompt for Hour Six

  1. Does it seem creepy to you at all, Caitlin, that my #5 was a haiku about Tec…my #2 met the #3 criteria…just saying… if this keeps up, I’m gonna have to start writing without my crystal ball. 😉

    1. I believe the prompts are optional for anyone who needs ideas. I haven’t heard that they are required. I’ve been writing my own poems and nowhere in the rules I’ve seen that we must follow the prompts. However we could follow at least one just to accept the challenge of it if we choose to.

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