The rigid and ancient tradition of writing haikus consists of three lines. The first line contains five syllables, the second contains seven syllables, and the last line has five. These are the rules, but rules often get broken.
Although original and traditional Japanese poets are tighter with the 5-7-5 rule of haikus, poet Bruce Manske follows the lead of the beat poets in his new collection Wait 'til After Midnight, flowing with the words and intent rather than restricting the art. "I try to stick with the 5-7-5 syllable count, but sometimes with the English language it's a little bit trickier," says Manske. "I'm willing to stretch those boundaries with wordplay and concepts."
As content goes, Manske frames his poetry within a calendar year, each month summed up into four haikus each. All twelve months are also presented with a nature photo, each taken by the author. "I'm an outdoor enthusiast... living in Minnesota we really get a full calendar picture with different seasons and weather."
Wait 'til After Midnight is available through the Forest Floor Publishing website, and copies will be made available at area bookstores soon.
Minnesota Reads is produced at The North 103.3 with funding provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
