1) Why do you write haiku?
From an early age on I’ve always been interested in arts and creativity. So after high school I went to study fine arts and was trained as an illustrator/designer. But somehow painting, drawing and photography never seemed sufficient enough to express what I wanted to express. In 2008 I discovered haiku through Jack Kerouac’s writing and everything fell into place. Haiku just seems to suit me. I find haiku very challenging. Although restricted by limited space, the possibilities of haiku seem infinite. Not only concerning subject matter but also technique.
2) What other poetic forms do you enjoy?
I still enjoy reading different kinds of poetry and actually started reading poetry when I was a teenager. But I guess the biggest influence on my writing is music. The songs of musicians like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Nick Drake, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Nina Simone still influence me to this very day. Besides haiku I enjoy writing rengay. I’ve been writing rengay on and off for almost two years now. Mostly with Marleen Hulst, an excellent Dutch writer. And I started writing haibun at the beginning of 2011. This opened a whole new range of possibilities for me and I find it a great adventure.
3) Of the many wonderful haiku you've written, what do you consider to be your top three? (Please provide original publication credits)
It’s hard to pick a top three, so I’ll chose three haiku that fit the season.
Christmas tree -
every year a little higher
her paper angel
Caribbean Kigo Kukai #30 - 1st place
Bouwe Brouwer: berichten uit het verleden / messages from te past. 't Schrijverke, Den Bosch (Netherlands) 2011
December fog . . .
taillights fade into
Christmas song
Simply Haiku January 2011
Bouwe Brouwer: berichten uit het verleden / messages from te past. 't Schrijverke, Den Bosch (Netherlands) 2011
dawn—
winter light slides into
my slippers
Polish International Haiku Contest - 3rd place. November 2011
Bouwe Brouwer: berichten uit het verleden / messages from te past. 't Schrijverke, Den Bosch (Netherlands) 2011
If you've been enjoying this series and have not contributed, please consider sharing your response - whether it be for haibun, haiku or tanka - to the three little questions that Bouwe answered. You must be a published poet to participate
3 comments:
It always seems so marvelous that haiku can erase borders and reach across the world. It's great to put a face on the name under haiku I've come to enjoy for some time now. Thanks, Curtis.
Good to see you here Bouwe! ;-)
All three winter haiku are excellent, in fact, they are stunning.
all my best,
Alan, With Words
Alan, thanks a lot for your positive comment, i appreciate it a lot! Ans it's true Merrill Ann, haiku can erase borders. That's one of the things i like about it, what i like about art in general, it's a universal way of expressing oneself. One of my favourite comments on haiku is William J. Higginson's remark: What is haiku for? it's for sharing. Curtis, thanks for this wonderful opportunity.
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