Category: Hump Day Haiku

I’ve never been one much for poetry.  Sure, there were a couple of years when I was a doe-eyed girl penciling verse for an unrequited love.  But after that, it never really interested me.  Until recently.

A couple of weeks ago, I started reading the Inspector Gamache mystery book series by Louise Penny.  These are murder mysteries based in Quebec and they especially center around the fictional town of Three Pines.  These books renewed or at least piqued my interest in verse.

I’ve always enjoyed a good mystery book; but, I am really enjoying this book series.  Here’s why:

• First, I’m listening to them on CD and I love the narrator.  He’s such a great performer and his reading really brings the story to life.
• Second, I love how Lousie Penny writes. Her characters are quirky, entertaining, and interesting.  She has the best food descriptions (between her mouthwatering descriptions and the narrator’s mesmerizing voice, I spend much of each book hungry).
• Third, the author sprinkles her prose with verse.  One of the characters in the book is a poet and “her” poems are found throughout the book adding an elegance and moodiness that I really enjoy.

With that said, it made me want to have a recommended book of poetry appear on my “Read Next” list and perhaps take another shot at writing verse again.  Hence, Hump Day Haiku.

Now, I thought I was so clever coming up with this unique title.  Turns out, there are at least a couple other sites where this phraseology is found (props where props are due).  But, since no one has it copyrighted (that I know of), I’m going to take part in the fun and be the sponsor of a Hump Day Haiku blog.

For those of you who may need a refresher (I know I did), www.poets.org defines Haiku as this:

A traditional Japanese haiku is a three-line poem with seventeen syllables, written in a 5/7/5 syllable count. Often focusing on images from nature, haiku emphasizes simplicity, intensity, and directness of expression. 

That site also gives some interesting history if you want to check it out.

Lastly, I will give my attempt at Haiku for this hump day.  I went nontraditional as it doesn’t deal with nature.  But it is simple and direct and has been the focus of the early part of my week.  Enjoy!

Sunday
Towels wet and cold
Turns and turns but still no heat
Appliance Malaise

Would love to hear your haikus (or is it haiki?).  Send it in the comments and be part of next week’s Hump Day Haiku.