HAIKU
Pèn bira muda
pòtlot ta haña lenga
pa papia ku rei.
* * *
Ora di fia
ta bini na rudia
i bai ku avion.
* * *
Para ku drumi
riba webu di bientu
ta yama orkan.
* * *
Den mi kasita
mi no tin nodi buska
pa haña mi mes.
Translator’s Glossary
|
WORD
|
DEFINITION
|
POSSIBLE SYNONYMS
|
|---|---|---|
| avion (n.) | the act or means of moving through the air under control | flying, flight, wings, airplane |
| bai (v.) | to move away from a place | goes, travels, journeys, leaves, departs |
| bientu (n.) | a current of air; may refer to emptiness | wind, air, breeze; nothing, infertility, void |
| bira (v.) | to change from one state to another | becomes, turns, grows, falls |
| buska (v.) | to try to find something by looking carefully and thoroughly | search, look, seek, hunt, beat the bushes |
| den (prep.) | enclosed or surrounded by | in, inside, within, in the middle of |
| di (prep.) | expressing a relationship between a part and a whole | of, from, since, to |
| drumi (v.) | to be in a relaxed and supported position | sleep(s), rest(s), lie(s), roost(s), sit(s) |
| fia (v.) | to give or receive something that is expected to be returned | loan, lend, borrow, lease, rent |
| haiku (n.) | the Japanese word for a short poem of seventeen syllables broken into three lines | haiku(s) |
| haña (v.) | to become aware of someone or something | find, locate, discover, pinpoint, recognize, uncover |
| i (conj.) | in addition to | and, plus, as well as |
| kasita (n.) | a shelter of limited size and simple construction | little house, small house, cottage, shack, cabin, hut, shed |
| ku (prep. / conj.) | 1. preposition—accompanied by or in relation to another person or thing 2. conjunction—used to introduce a new clause | 1. with, by 2. that, which, who |
| lenga (n.) | the instrument or ability to express one’s wishes, choices, or opinions | voice, words, courage, boldness, ability to speak |
| mes (n.) | a person’s essential being, especially considered as the object of introspection or reflexive action | self, being, person, I, myself |
| mi (pron. / adj.) | 1. pronoun—referring to the speaker 2. adjective—belonging to the speaker | 1. I, me 2. my, mine, of mine |
| muda (adj.) | unable to speak | dumb, silent, mute, tongue-tied, speechless, at a loss for words |
| na rudia (phrase) | supported by joints between the thighs and the lower legs | upon knees, on bent knees, kneeling, crouching, stooping, bowing down |
| no (adv.) | used to form the negative | not, no, don’t |
| ora (n.) | a certain point in the indefinite progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future | hour, time, when, moment, occasion, point |
| orkan (n.) | destructive storm with violent winds | hurricane, cyclone, disaster, gale, tempest, whirlwind |
| pa (prep.) | as a means to | to, in order to, for |
| papia (v.) | to say something in order to convey information, an opinion, or a feeling | speak, address, talk, converse, communicate, lecture |
| para (n.) | warm-blooded, egg-laying vertebrate that has feathers and a beak and can fly in most cases | bird(s), fowl(s), robin(s), chicken(s), dove(s) |
| pèn (n.) | an instrument for writing or drawing with ink | pen, quill, marker, sharpie, ballpoint |
| pòtlot (n.) | an instrument for writing or drawing with graphite | pencil |
| rei (n.) | the ruler of an independent state, who typically inherits the position by birth | king, ruler, sovereign, monarch, lord, royalty |
| riba (prep.) | physically in contact with and supported by a surface | on, upon, on top of, atop, above |
| ta bini (v.) (ta indicates present tense) | to move toward or into a place | comes, approaches, nears, draws close, advances |
| ta haña (v.) (ta indicates present tense) | to call on someone or something to be present | rallies, summons, musters (up), gathers, unearths, awakens, sparks, discovers |
| ta yama (v.) (ta indicates present tense) | to be given a specified name | is called, is known as, is in fact |
| tin nodi (v.) | literally means to have necessity; expressing necessity or obligation | have to, need to, necessitate, require, must |
| webu (n.) | oval or round object(s) laid by a female bird, reptile, fish, or invertebrate, usually containing a developed embryo | egg(s) |
Artistic Elements
I. About Haiku
• 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
Elis Juliana was born in Curaçao, an island in the Caribbean. Just north of Venezuela, the island had been a Dutch colony for centuries. Juliana was a descendent of the colony’s slaves, who worked in the island’s salt mines. He and his family spoke Papiamentu, a rhythmic Creole language that blends Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, Arawak Indian, and several African languages. He grew up surrounded by poverty and shared a tiny shack with his mother, brothers, and sisters. Still, Juliana was a happy and imaginative child. He began writing poetry and joined a movement to document and promote Curaçao culture. One of his many accomplishments was introducing the Japanese poetic form haiku to Curaçao.