Poetry Pea - haiku and other English Language Japanese short forms

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we explore why haiku has often been described as "the poetry of the noun" and ask whether removing verbs and limiting adjectives can make a poem even more powerful.

Through close readings of haiku by John Wills, Elizabeth Searle Lamb, Charles Rossiter, Noel King, Choshi, Anne Curran, and Bisshie, we discover how concrete nouns create atmosphere, emotion and meaning without explanation. We l...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, Patricia shares a fresh collection of haiku and senryu from Poetry Pea’s much-loved Flashku submissions — a spontaneous 24-hour poetry challenge open to poets on the Poetry Pea mailing list.

Featuring poems by Nalini Shetty, Robert Witmer, Sébastien Revon, Emil Karla, Steve Bahr, Katie Montagna, Deborah A Bennett, Samo Kreutz, Cynthia Anderson, Sara Winteridge, John Hare, Mark F...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we share the chosen poems from April’s Poetry Pea Video Prompt, beautifully curated by Lakshmi Iyer.

Inspired by pink skies, cricket song, twilight gardens, and fleeting moments of light, these poems explore the quiet beauty of the natural world through haiku and short-form poetry.

Featuring poems by Marion Clarke, Ralph Mathews, Kerry J Heckman, Melissa Dennison, Vaishnavi Ramaswamy, ...

In this final episode of Poetry Pea’s series on lyricism in haiku and senryū, Patricia explores contemporary poems that sing—haiku and senryū rich in musicality, emotional resonance, and soaring beauty.

With recommendations and insights from some poetry friends, we journey through lyrical work from some of today’s finest poets, asking what makes a haiku truly resonate. Is it sound, rhythm, imagery—or somethin...

This episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast continues an exploration of lyrical haiku and senryū in the English language, with a focus on work written before the year 2000. What makes a haiku “lyrical”? Not overblown emotion or elaborate language, but a quieter musicality—rhythm, emotional restraint, and an image that’s allowed to resonate.

This episode offers a thoughtful introduction to earlier contemporary haik...

This week on The Poetry Peacast, we drift into a river-inspired collection of haiku and senryu from our March video prompt. While Patricia is (technically) in Zürich, today’s episode is carried by the warm currents of South Africa, where the original footage was filmed during a memorable family trip.

The poems featured here have been carefully edited and curated by Johnny Moran—thank you, Johnny—and capture a range...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we continue our exploration of lyrical poetry with a journey into the work of the Japanese haiku masters. From Bashō and Buson to Issa and Shiki, and their contemporaries, we listen to classic haiku in translation and consider how sound, rhythm and imagery carry emotional resonance across centuries.

Following last week’s episode on the eighteenth-century female poet, Chyio-ni, to...

In this episode of Poetry Pea, I explore the haiku of Chiyo-ni, the 18th-century Japanese poet and Buddhist nun whose lyrical voice is often overlooked when we talk about the great haiku masters. While Bashō, Buson, Shiki and Issa are regularly discussed, Chiyo-ni’s work often takes a back seat.

Prompted by recent conversations about the perceived lack of lyrical poetry in modern haiku, I look at what “lyrical” mig...

In this special Poetry Pea episode, we celebrate impending close of our haibun submissions period with a curated selection of haibun readings. New to haibun? Don’t worry — helpful links in the show notes will guide you through this beautifully blended form of prose and haiku.

All the pieces in this episode share something in common… but will you spot what it is?

Answers in the shownotes.

We also thank Johnny Moran f...

Step into a listening space shaped by small poems and quiet attention.

This weekly podcast brings together contemporary haiku from voices around the world. Each of our episodes features carefully selected poems, and thoughtful readings.

From murmuration skies to winter dusk, from the hush of birdsong to the swell of the everyday, we explore the moments that might otherwise pass unnoticed — and give them room to resonate.

✨ How t...

Settle in for another episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, where this time there’s no set theme—yes, maybe it 's a bit trickier for you… but as they say, if it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth doing.

In this episode, you’ll hear a wonderful selection of contemporary haiku and senryu , all submitted without the safety net of a prompt. Our judges—one familiar voice and two brand-new to the podcast&mda...

In this episode of the Poetry Peacast, we bring our current exploration of one-line haiku to a halt for now.

After three episodes and a number of thoughtful questions, I reflect on what the form offers, where it challenges us, and where I find myself—at least for now. There is, of course, more to be said, and the conversation remains open, particularly as listeners continue to share their own insights and experiences.

I’l...

This week on the Poetry Pea Podcast there’s a slight change of plan.

Part three of the one-line haiku series isn’t quite ready yet. After posing several questions at the end of part two, I realised I needed a little more time to sit with them. My head is currently full of ideas, possibilities and half-formed thoughts, and rather than rush things, I want to give those questions the attention they deserve.

So, while I conti...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we continue our deep dive into the art of the one line haiku and explore five powerful techniques for writing compelling haiku and senryū in English.

If you’ve been experimenting with one line poems and wondering how they work — or whether they work at all — this episode is for you.

We explore five essential techniques for writing strong one line haiku:

• Speed – creat...

In this episode of The Poetry Pea Podcast, we begin an in-depth exploration of one line haiku and senryū in English. What makes a one line haiku work? Is it simply a haiku written without line breaks, or is there something more subtle happening with rhythm, pause and flow?

Through close readings of poems by Michael Segers, John Wills, Alvin Cruz, Elizabeth Searle Lamb, Kala Ramesh, Tess Sherman, Scott Wiggerman, martin gottlieb cohe...

Monster trucks meet haiku.

In this adrenaline-charged episode of Poetry Pea,I share original haiku and senryu inspired by a thrilling monster truck video, captured by Renee Schaffer and curated by Allyson Whipple. Huge thanks to both for fuelling this creative ride.

Expect short-form poetry that explores power, spectacle, humour and the poetry of roaring engines and flying mud — all in just three lines.

Every poem featured will ...

A podcast about haiku and short poetry from around the world, particularly early Spanish haikuesque poetry of José Juan Tablada, but I'll also explore Japanese haiku, early Western haiku, translation, poetic form, and contemporary practice.

This episode offers close readings, literary context, and thoughts, uncovering forgotten poems, global influences, and the ways haiku has travelled across languages and cultures. Topics include i...

In this special episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, host Patricia announces the winners of the Golden Pea Awards 2025, celebrating the very best haiku, senryū, tanka and haibun published by Poetry Pea this year.

Recorded from her studio in Switzerland, Patricia shares a carefully curated selection of award-winning poems, chosen for their craft, originality and emotional impact. These standout pieces appear in The Golden Pea Anthology...

Urban Haiku Podcast | More City Life in Short Poetry

Step into the streets, gyms, roads, and temples of contemporary poetry with this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, dedicated to urban haiku and senryū. In this instalment of the Urban Haiku series, we continue to explore how modern city life finds expression through short-form poetry—capturing fleeting moments, human interactions, and everyday urban scenes in just a few car...