I set weekly creative challenges. The challenge of this week was:

Write a haiku every day

While my bed looks warm
and my planning laughs at me,
I drink more coffee

I sing on my bike
unless someone passes by;
then I hum softly

When I have cold feet,
dreaming about warm places
makes me fall asleep

I thought you looked cute.
You don’t work at the psych ward,
but were a patient.

You tell me you’re fine.
“Good” I say, followed by
an awkward silence.

I wear a moustache,
but I still need a real man
to open my beer

Er komt niks uit me,
maar als ik op de plee zit
heb ik een idee.

What was difficult
English is my second language. Getting information across is one thing, but to be able to play with words is another. So that was a challenge, although it helped that the construction of a haiku is relatively simple and short. Second, I have no experience in any type of poetry. So it is hard for me to know when something is good or even when to like something or not. When I draw, I normally have a clear notion of whether I like my work or not. For haikus, I’m not sure where I stand (but I guess that is OK). Also capturing a message to its core in only 17 syllables was hard sometimes; I like to take more words normally.

What was fun
Getting ‘the hang of it’. Suddenly every subject seemed to be a cloud of words that could be captured in a Haiku.

What did I learn
Writing Haikus is not ‘my thing’. Although I enjoyed the experience, I also know that I don’t have a true passion for it. That’s a good thing though. I believe that by trying new things, you get a better understanding of the things you love or don’t and it helps in shaping your identity. And when you know better what you love to do, you can spend more time doing it. However it isn’t a bad thing to try something that is a little at the boundary of what might be interesting, without being sure if you will love it.

6 Comments

  • Reply

    Lina @ Chopping Vegetables

    November 29, 2011 at 22:37

    Some of these are great! I like the one about singing on your bike and the one about cold feet.

  • Reply

    Paula

    November 30, 2011 at 09:33

    I love the third!! :) I tried writing haikus for a while but found it quite difficult! great you finished so many :)

  • Reply

    Marie

    November 30, 2011 at 15:52

    I love love the one about the moustache/beer and the one about singing on your bike! what a fun project.
    -Marie
    So What If I Like Pretty Things

  • Reply

    Skinny Moonstick

    November 30, 2011 at 18:04

    You did an amazing job writing haikus! I love poetry, it’s one of my hobbies as well :) Your writing is expressive.
    Good luck!

    skinnymoonstick.blogspot.com

  • Reply

    Chandra

    December 2, 2011 at 17:39

    These are fun! I teach ESL and I think I will have some of my students write haiku’s!

  • Reply

    Magical Day Dream

    December 5, 2011 at 08:53

    @ Lina: Thank you :)

    @ Paula: really? I would love to read some of them!

    @ Marie: haha thanks :)

    @ Skinny Moonstick: Thank you! I don’t know if I really consider it one of my hobbies, but it was fun to try for sure!

    @ Chandra: what does ESL stand for? Sound like fun anyway!

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