Haiku as a Koan
Haiku the littlest poem in the world known by over a million people can be read as a Koan. What is a Koan? A Koan is a impossible question without an answer. A Koan can help to let you see 'the light'. Koan is a way of teaching in Zen. Zen masters told their disciples Koan. When the disciples could give the answer they were enlighted and were a bit closer to fullfillment of their tasks. Haiku also can be read as a Koan because every haiku has a deeper meaning or can have a deeper meaning.
For example the next haiku can be read as a Koan:
This flower My companion For one night
When we visualize the picture we can see a lonely guy (or girl) with only a flower as his or her companion. They are lonely but the flower breaks their loneliness. A pretty picture don't you think? But read as a Koan the meaning changes a bit. When you're alone this flower is a great friend with whom we can associate. We became one with the flower and his richness. We must be satisfied with the littlest richness. What a richness this one flower that lives short.
Haiku is a lot more then the most people think. Haiku is a lifestyle and a philosophy and therefore a kind of Zen.
Greets,
Chèvrefeuille |
I have written Koan-like haiku but not always. Koan-like Haiku may be treated as a sub-genre Of International Hybrid Haiku Styles. Haiku is [ as you say] surely A Way Of Life, A Philosophical attitude and A Zen Way Of Deeper Intrinsic Perception of Every Moment [ if one takes to it seriously ] . Unlike some modern practitioners, I too personally insist Haiku is inseparable from Zen[Dhyaanam]
a haiku is a haiku like a lemon is a lemon and a koan is a koan. Mix them and their authenticity is gone but you can always drink the juice...