Haiku Smiles: My first book of poetry. I must say that I have had a lot of fun creating Haiku Smiles and I hope you will enjoy this book.
What is Haiku Poety, you may ask. I will give you a short paragraph describing what Haiku Poetry is.
Haiku is a poetic form and a type of poetry from the Japanese culture. Haiku combines form, content, and language in a meaningful, yet compact form. Haiku poets, which you will soon be, write about everyday things. Many themes include nature, feelings, or experiences. Usually they use simple words and grammar. The most common form for Haiku is three short lines. The first line usually contains five (5) syllables, the second line seven (7) syllables, and the third line contains five (5) syllables. Haiku doesn't rhyme. A Haiku must "paint" a mental image in the reader's mind. This is the challenge of Haiku - to put the poem's meaning and imagery in the reader's mind in ONLY 17 syllables over just three (3) lines of poetry!
Excerpt
Puzzle Complete
First Place Winning Haiku
Puzzle complete me
In gardens of love I find
My heart’s missing piece
Lightning In A Jar
First Place Winner
Twinkles on and off
Fireflies light up the night sky
Lightning in a jar
Dingo
First Place Winner
Australia’s wild dogs
Was once domesticated
Dingoes hunt in packs
Winter Flight
Second Place Winner
Santa's sleigh takes flight
Over a blanket of snow
Good children aware
Winter Sleeps
Third Place Winner
Frozen terrain sleeps
Wonderland of ice and snow
Winter's lullaby
Crimson
Third Place Winner
Dances in crimson
Roses blush in the garden
Embarrassing spring
A Haiku String
Nature
First Place Winner
Generation gap
Playful youth, Death and dying
Winter Spring collide
Territorial siege
Weeds and daisies battle cry
A war is at hand
Pact made in springtime
Glorious new birth erupts
Love in the meadow
Geography search
Willows crying in the night
Where no one can see
Promised in summer
Seedlings fertilization
Kissed by sun and dew
Conquest in Autumn
Crunching sounds fall to the ground
Leaving winter trees
Invoked Spring’s decree
Wild flowers burst into bloom
Fragrant aroma
Atrium, enter here
Beware guns are in the wood
Doe is on alert
Planet Colliding
Volcano erupts by night
Darkened skies today
Year ending in drought
Thirsty squirrels paw lake bed
In desperation
Professional Reviews
HAIKU SMILES
At 157 pages, Nancy Lee Shrader’s Haiku Smiles makes for excellent reading because it succeeds in presenting haiku according to the way the ancient haiku poets meant them to be: galaxies of meaning packed in the space of a raindrop.
Haiku Smiles will delight readers in search of poetic entertainment that touches on so many topics and themes: brief 5-7-5 syllabic encounters that satisfy like lengthy visits offered by much longer poetry.
Nancy Lee Shrader’s pen is a mighty one! Obviously an attentive student of poetry, she has honed her craft insightfully well as indicated by the poems in this collection. Brilliantly observant, she has translated her awe of the world around her into the lines of her haiku with which readers can relate with their own wonder about nature’s beauty and power. With strong word choice and vivid imagery, Nancy is able to capture a sliver of the natural and preserve the moment in the form of a haiku. No easy task!
Here are two haiku from Haiku Smiles:
“Crimson”
Dances in crimson
Roses blush in the garden
Embarrassing spring
“Caustic”
Caustic rivers run
Deceitful rocks hide below
Corroding the shore
As a published poet myself, a conductor of poetry workshops, and a longtime judge of poetry contests, I can with much pleasure and assurance recommend Haiku Smiles to anyone in search of uplifting poetry. As expressed in Nancy Lee Shrader’s own words from her haiku “Kettles and Conversation”: “Dreams are voiced here.”
Salvatore Buttaci
HAIKU SMILES
Puzzle Complete
A puzzle haiku! :) I know it is not.. but that is what the pic reminded me of. It is a beautiful sentiment that is well said with a few words. Amazing how a tiny piece of the puzzle can just fit.. that tiny piece called love.. to make the heart and the picture complete.
Beautiful ink! :)
Reviewer: Mango's Mind
Puzzle Complete
Amazingly beautiful write about a special union.
This is such a hopeful write...that LOVE is real!!!
Reviewer: Lyrical Love
Demon's Claw
The imagery was amazing. Your choice of words is something to be admired, as they all really impacted the Demon image we can get from your poem. Good job!
Reviewer: Maddy
In your brief poem you declared the miracle of all time! Well done!
Reviewer: Salvatore Buttaci
Mirror Reflection
You are wonderful at writing Haiku!
Another beautiful piece!
Reviewer: Lynda
Lullaby
I find this an amazing haiku of nature. Seedlings sleeping under a blanket of snow. Nautres nursery. A Wonderful Haiku well written
Reviewer: Stony
Everglades
Everglades plunder, what a wonderful ending to this amazing haiku. Loved it as I do all your work.
Reviewer: Whimzygirl
Eagle's Wings
Another bird warns the eagles prey. Wonderfully done.
Reviewer: Sister Suzie
Bark of the Dogwood
Now this is amazingly done. No bark for this dog. Loved it.
Reviewer: Stony
Crystal Wonderland
This is no doubt your best haiku. Loved it.
Reviewer: Lazy Days
Snow Angel
A beautiful Haiku of the magical Snow Angels. I could see them skating and breathing the frosty breeze
Reviewer Lazy Days
Winter Flight
Congratulations on winning the Christmas haiku contest! This Haiku is simpley amazing
Reviewer: Salvatore Buttaci
Snowman at Play
I could invision Frosty the Snowman in this beautifully written Haiku
Reviewer: Lazy Days
Winter Sleeps
Well written Haiku, tells a story in a few words.
Reviewer: Lazy Days
Santa Claus
Now this Haiku sends the message that Santa holds to the Christian faith. Wonderfully Written.
Reviewer Lazy Days
Mystery
Loved this piece, Spins the tale of the Raven. Edgar Poe would be pleased.
Reviewer Stony
God's Eye
In a place where no one sees. I can see God embracing his children.
Reviewer: Stony
Ballerinas of the Breeze
This Haiku is by far one of your best. Loved the butterfly dance in my mind's eye.
Reviewer: Lazy Days
Waterfall
Your description of a waterfall as beautiful danger glistens in my mind.
Reviewer: Whimzygirl
Crimson
Interesting and cleverly crafted haiku, I can't say I am a fan of the form but you have done a good job with Crimson.
Reviewer: S. A. Venus
Heaven's Tears
A fantastic write. Then thousand angels crying when the Lord died. Wonderful. A worthwhile Haiku
Reviewer: Lazy Days
Kettles and Conversation
Can you hear the dreams voiced here? I can
Reviewer: Whimzygirl
Haiku Nature
Oh, this is perfection! I absolutely loved these haiku.
If I had to pick a favorite, it would be hard, but I just loved
the reaction my mind had when I read the "Conquest in Autumn"
I actually heard the 'CRUNCHING' sound of the falling leaves!
Magnificant poetess extraordinaire!!
Reviewer Helena
Haiku Nature
What I saw in this piece was more than just words or a format. I saw a vision. I was shocked to open this piece and see what I saw. The way you presented imagery amongst imagery. Both the pictures, and the words flowed well together. You went that extra distance to present your work in the true way you envisioned it within yourself. It says a lot about you as a person.
This made me look at haiku's in a different way. I've seen the technique many times where more than one haiku is used to create a longer poem. In this, you presented it where I, as the reader, could continue seeing color even after the color scrolled beyond the page.
Very nicely executed and presented. You have a wonderful sense of soul.
Reviewer: Li Li
Haiku Seasons
The seasons mesh and mingle very beautifully together. I especially like this haiku:
Icicles glistening
Wrapped around in sparkling style
Glimmering daggers
Nice work!
Reviewer: Frances O'Neill
Haiku Seasons
Beautifully written as always. Loved the description of spring. You brought my favorite season to life.
Reviewer Lizanne Green
Haiku Seasons
this is beautiful nancy, you manage to visualize all the seasons together and tell a wonderful poem.
Reviewer: Charlotte Talley
Haiku Seasons
the 4 seasons... how beatiful! this haiku gave me a very clear visual of the scenes in the seasons... splendid!
Reviewer: Beefjerky
Carousel of Life
Broadens the mind and embraces the air. A wonderful write
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