Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Poetic Musings: Stone Buddha Haiku by John Soules

spring thaw
the stone Buddha
still still

Haiku Third Place, 2012 San Francisco International Competition

John Soules

Judge’s Comment: The haiku poet risks all in repetition and, when done correctly, gains it back and more. Here the same word, repeated side by side, elicits its dual definitions plus a certain additional meaning as a two-word phrase.  Humor, truth, and beauty, all in 7 words – this is admirably executed. Innovative.

Editor's Note: Antanaclasis is the repetition of a word or phrase to affect a different meaning. For more, see To the Lighthouse: Repetition, Repetition, Repetition.

1 comment:

  1. The following haiku could be read as a sequel to John's:

    sunlit rock garden
    eyes closed in meditation
    potbellied Buddha

    NeverEnding Story, June 4, 2021

    Bruce Ross

    And my poem below could be read as a sequel to Bruce's for your reading pleasure :-)

    a monk rises
    from Buddha’s shadow --
    lunch break

    Failed Haiku, 2:24, December 2017

    ReplyDelete