Here's to a little Haiku

Before we leave National Poetry Month behind (not poetry itself, mind you) I thought I would share an interesting bit of trivia that I learned recently.

You are probably familiar with the famous Haiku of Japanese origin. Did you know that the countries ranking in order of the "most prolific in Haiku" are:

1. Japan (no surprise here)
2. United States
3. Croatia!

Not only have the Croatian people taken to the appreciation of this type of poetry, but they have produced some wonderful Croatian Haiku.

Take the following award-winner of the prestigious Ehime Prefecture first prize in 1990's National Cultural Festival of Japan, written by Croatian poet Darko Plažanin:

nakon oluje
dječak briše nebo
sa stolova

after the storm
a boy wiping the sky
from the tables

I can't resist good poetry in any form (Haiku or other) and I couldn't help sharing this bit of trivia (and taste of poetry) with you.

For more information about Haiku in Croatia and how it got its start, see Haiku Poetry in Croatia by Darko Žubrinić.

Poetically inspired and wishing to try your own hand at the fun? Visit David McMurray's The Process of Composing Your Own Haiku.

Even better: how about touching on your family's heritage within the form of a Haiku?

That just might be a great way to guard against wordy family histories...