Crystalline Verse is a small poem, limited to 17 syllables, whose primary
focus appears to be to match the Japanese clarity of image with the English
harmony of sound. It was inspired by the Haiku and like the haiku it may be at
its best when written in present tense. Any reference that can place the verse
in context much like the Japanese kigo (season) or kidai (symbolic seasonal reference) is recommended.
The Crystalline
employs the kireji (cutting
word) of the haiku. The kireji in
haiku is a word that "cuts off" one view and turns the reader to a
different view. In a longer Japanese poem the kireji is 2 long lines inserted midway in the poem that
change the direction of the poem not only in structure but in thought. A stand
alone small poem such as the Crystalline emulates the long poem's kireji
couplet long line frame and it should "cut" or turn the view from one
line to the next.
Unlike haiku which
observes the image with objectivity and attempts to keep the ego out of the
verse, the Crystalline invites the poet's subjectivity and permits the poet's
thought and feelings to be communicated through the verse.
The
verse form was created by American poet Denis Garrison and more information can be found
at his site, Short Verse.
The Crystalline is:
- a complete couplet. It can be a stand alone poem or written in any number of couplets as a longer poem. Like the Renga, a longer poem of Crystalline stanzas can be written by alternating more than one poet.
- syllabic, 17 syllables. A regular Crystalline is 8-9 or 9-8 syllables per line. An irregular Crystalline is 2 lines totaling 17 syllables and broken where appropriate other than the 8-9/9-8 regular form.
- written with the English grammatical rules of syntax, caps and punctuation. In other words no all lower case, omitted punctuation, nor incomplete sentences commonly seen in English haiku. Good grammatical English applies.
- at the poet's discretion, written with poetic devices such as rhyme, onomatopoeia, metaphor, allusion etc.
- composed with a "cut" or pivot most often between L1 and L2.
- untitled.
The dust of summer covers the shelf
where in spring you last left your ring.
Judi Van Gorder
A big thanks to Judi
Van Gorder, other than the inventor, I found nothing else of much help.
The
Crystalline: A Haiku Couplet
Denis M.
Garrison
Four
crystallines by Denis M. Garrison:
# 16
Rain-soaked
barnyard’s a muddy bog,
but
amidst the muck, blooms marigold.
#17
This
primeval sea of prairie grass
is
grackle-peppered ... bison-strewn!
#18
In
banyan roots enwrapped,
the
granite Cross glows in the midst of lilies.
#19
Turtle
shell found on grandma’s grave:
vacant,
yet it bursts with violets.
DEFINITION:
The “crystalline” is a new haiku analogue; a seventeen syllable couplet
that assimilates as much as possible from the Japanese haiku tradition into the
English poetic tradition. A primary concern for the crystalline is the euphony
of the verse. See examples above
A Big thanks to
Dennis M. Garrison
My own example:
Winter Equality
In the backyard grass my dogs all go-
The sidewalk's game
if there is snow.
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