First published 2019
Helen Schulman takes the classical haiku structure and bends it to explore contemporary philosophical territory. While traditional Japanese haiku follows the 5-7-5 syllable pattern and draws metaphors from nature, Schulman allows herself creative flexibility with both form and content. Her three-line poems may stretch or compress the syllable count as English demands. She abandons the nature requirement, instead using the compact format to capture single thoughts and unanswered questions that occupy the human mind. Schulman discovered that once she began thinking in haiku form, her thoughts naturally arranged themselves into these brief verses. The collection represents her ongoing experiment with adapting an ancient poetic structure to express modern philosophical inquiries and observations about life's persistent mysteries.
Genres: philosophy, literary-fiction, contemporary, poetry
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: philosophical-exploration, poetic-form
Period: 21st-Century
94 pages · Paperback · Independently published