Jörgen Johansson - Three Questions

Jörgen Johansson (JJ) answered a slightly altered group of questions. He writes:

Born 1956 in the beautiful city of Lidköping, Sweden, where i still live. Been running my own bizniz since 1982, selling rare vinyl from the 60s. Wrote my first haiku in Swedish 2001 but quickly switched to English because i wanted to reach more people. Always been a fan of the one-liners made by Groucho Marx and W.C. Fields, so this led me into writing in a concise kind of way. Released two chapbooks together with Robert Wilson, 2003. Been published in Heron´s Nest, frogpond, acorn etc. Recently included in the latest issue of A New Resonance (#6) which was an honour fur sure.

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1) Why do you write senryu?

Well, upon writing my first haiku in English 2003, i soon started to write in a senryu kind of way, without actually knowing what a senryu was, so i guess my mentality is suited to write this way. Inspired by the master, Al Pizzarelli, my goals are set high.

2) What other poetic forms do you enjoy?

A couple of years ago i wrote a number of Tanka poems, this love affair lasted only a couple of days and although i'm happy with the outcome when returning to them today, i haven't written a tanka since. I wrote my first ever haibun a couple of days ago and the response
was great from some fellow poets so i'll probably write some more of these.

3) Of the many wonderful senryu you've written, what do you consider to be your top three?

3.

red light district--
spray painted "wo" on the
"men at work" sign



2.

class reunion--
in the entrance hall we all slip
into old roles



1.

swallowing
my pride
...heartburn!


Here are a few additional poems (all fr my chapbook, MUD ON THE WALL, except the last 4, which are picked by senryu Maestro, Al Pizzarelli for his site in Simply Haiku)


the earthworm
moves away
from itself


unreadable
the firefly's signature
on the night sky


midnight rain
slowing down as we enter
ufo country


insomnia...
a rabbit changes shape
on the ceiling


watering
the plastic flowers
just in case


circus in town
the long shadow of a dwarf
on stilts


Stonehenge--
the druid arrives in his
psychedelic car


the fire eater
praises the chef’s
burnt cutlet


the stiff glove
on the ground
giving me the finger


paying
the street musician
not to play


short-changed...
waitress giving a dwarf
the finger

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If you've been enjoying this weekly series and have not contributed, please consider sharing your response (whether it be for haiku or tanka) to the three little questions that JJ answered. You must be a published poet in order to participate.