Russian Haiku resists definition - it defies geography and structure. Bound only by its language and the internet - it finds ways to mix Russian literary tradition with Japanese style and Western logic. It is in its infancy and has yet to establish a boundary between real and imagined - self and the world. Everything is possible in this virtual thought environment. In the late ninteen nineties the Japanese Embassy in Moscow sponsored the first Russian Haiku Contest and recieved ten thousand entries. Haiku is alive and well in Russia. Personally I find there is a gentle and ephemeral quality about the Russian Haikus. Some items - transalted into English - are shown below. It would be nice if Russian members of the PH family could comment and provide some examples of their own. <br /> <br />train starting off <br />the silent rise of <br />separated voices <br /> <br />my mitten <br />falling in the snow <br />steaming <br /> <br />summer dress <br />so many flowers <br />on the plump girl <br /> <br />forgotten puppets <br />with loose tangled strings <br />so free so helpless <br /> <br />watching 'Nutcracker' <br />she eaats pistachios <br />from a paper bag <br /> <br />rain has stopped <br />people wih open umbrellas <br />don't know why we smirk <br /> <br />first snowflakes <br />I love them too much - to believe <br />they'll melt at noon <br /> <br />little girl - revolving door at GUM <br />not entering - not exiting <br />just revloving <br /> <br />a perfect star <br />in the tear of my old <br />umbrella <br /> <br />first snow <br />walking home I draw pictures <br />on car roofs <br /> <br />brushing the snow <br />out of her hair - she stares <br />at the bridal shop window <br /> <br />on pink wall paper <br />a dog shaped shadow of my hand <br />theatre for one <br /> <br />I hope you enjoy these please write a comment and score! <br /> <br />(John Knight - Colchester - December 2009)<br /><br />John Knight<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/1002-russian-haiku/
