De rincon de haikus
La mariposa
Recordará por siempre
Que fue gusano
______________
Ola por ola
El mar lo sabe todo
Pero se olvida
_______________
Si en el crepúsculo
El sol era memoria
Ya no me acuerdo
Glossary
|
WORD
|
DEFINITION
|
POSSIBLE SYNONYMS
|
|---|---|---|
| crepúsculo (n.) | soft,glowing light in the sky when the sun is below the horizon | twilight, dusk, sunset, close of day, half-light |
| de(prep.) | expressing location in a particular place or position; expressing the relationship between a part and a whole | at, of, from |
| era(v.) | second person singular imperfect form of the verb ser, indicating someone or something that existed in the past over time | was |
| el (def. art.) | masculine form of the definite article | the |
| en (prep.) | expressing location or arrival in a particular place | at |
| fue (v.) | first person singular preterit tense of the verb ser, indicating something or someone that existed in the past | I was |
| gusano (n.) | burrowing invertebrate with a slender body | worm, caterpillar |
| haikus (n.) | short forms of poetry in a style that was originally developed in Japan | haiku |
| la (def. art.) | feminine form of the definite article | the |
| lo (pron.) | refers to something previously mentioned or easily identified | it |
| mar (n.) | the expanse of salt water that covers most of the earth’s surface and surrounds its land masses | sea, ocean |
| mariposa (n.) | insect with two pairs of large wings covered in tiny scales, brightly colored | butterfly |
| me acuerdo (v.) | first person singular of the reflexive verb acordarse meaning to bring something back into one’s mind | I remember, I recall,I recollect, I call to mind |
| memoria (n.) | something remembered from the past | memory, recollection, remembrance, reminiscence |
| no(adv.) | not any | no, not, do not |
| ola (n.) | along body of water curling into an arched form and breaking on the shore | wave, swell |
| pero (conj.) | used to introduce something contrasting with what has already been mentioned | but, yet |
| por(prep.) | used to indicate duration of time; referring to repetition | for, by |
| que (conj.) | used to refer to something that was previously mentioned | that |
| recordará(v.) | third person singular future form of the verb recordar,meaning “to be able to bring to one’s mind awareness of someone/something known/experienced in the past” | will remember, will recall, will recollect, will call to mind |
| rincón(n.) | a place or angle where two or more sides or edges meet | corner, junction, intersection |
| sabe(v.) | third person singular of the verb saber,meaning“to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information” | knows, has knowledge of, is conscious of, comprehends |
| se olvida(v.) | third person singular of the reflexive verb olvidarse,meaning “to forget,not remember” | forgets, fails to remember, overlooks |
| si(conj.) | introducing a conditional clause | if, on the condition that, provided that, providing |
| siempre (adv.) | at all times; on all occasions | always, without fail, unfailingly, forever |
| sol(n.) | the star around which the earth orbits | sun |
| todo(pron.) | all things | everything, every single thing, all |
| ya (adv.) | before or by now or the time in question | already, by this time, thus |
Artistic Elements
Poetic Form
Haiku is a Japanese poem traditionally comprised of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five
syllables that create a single, memorable image. For many, haiku is more than poetry; it is a way of
life. Deceptively simple, in three short lines it sets a scene and then delivers a surprise. This surprise
is usually an insight, image, or comment that casts a new light on the previous lines.
Essential to the structure of haiku is the “cutting word,” or kireji, which divides the poem in two. It
acts as a disruption and implies a relationship between what comes before it and what comes after,
oftentimes juxtaposing the two. Ya (や) is one of seven common kireji used in Japanese haiku. Ya
(や) is derived from a Chinese character meaning “this.”
The roots of haiku can be traced as far back as the Heian period (794–1185) when nobles at court
played at creating long-linked poems, or renga, in a group. A single poet began a “link” with a
particular theme, and others improvised responses, one by one, in short verses that altered and
expanded upon the theme. In the courts of the day, there was an acute fascination with verse that
was concise in description, full of understatement rich with suggestion, and composed by more than
one poet. Typical topics included love, youth, life, vanished summers, and explorations of nature.
Haiku came about as poets began to compose the opening verses of renga as stand-alone poems.
Writing haiku involves acute attention to the rhythm and sound of poetry, and requires a vast store
of synonyms in order to be as concise and precise as possible. The translation and composition of
this form teaches students to manipulate words and syntax, moving beyond basic sentences to
more sophisticated, thoughtful, and succinct modes of expression.
Bio
Mario Benedetti was born into poverty in a small city of Uruguay. As an adult he was constantly working just to make enough money to feed his family. In what little free time he had, he went to the library to read everything he could. This was how he discovered poetry. Little by little Benedetti began to write and publish his own poems about his life experiences with work, travels,and family.He worked as a journalist, but when an oppressive dictatorship took over Uruguay in 1973, he was forced to flee the country and live in exile, while his wife remained behind to take care of their aging mothers. He lived in Argentina, Peru, Cuba, and Spain before returning to his homeland in 1983 as the country was transitioning back to democracy. Though not as well known in the English–speaking world, Benedetti is extremely famous in Latin America and considered one of the best poets of the twentieth century.