Poetry Pea - haiku and other English Language Japanese short forms

Poetry Pea
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Poetry Pea is a poetry podcast from www.poetrypea.com. It features haiku and senryu and other Japanese short form poetry. There are lots of free writing resources, workshops from experts, readings of original poetry, haiku and senryu, as well as prompts and writing exercises. You can submit your haiku or senryu to Patricia and be featured on the podcast and in the Poetry Pea Journal. Let’s write together.

  1. S9E17 Haiku on the River

    4D AGO

    S9E17 Haiku on the River

    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 of voices responding to water, movement, and the quiet details that make haiku and senryu so powerful. Congratulations to the poets whose work is included in this episode. Their poems will also appear in the upcoming issue of the 1:26 poetry journal. In this episode: A showcase of original haiku and senryuPoetry inspired by rivers, travel, and observationReflections on the March Poetry Pea video promptCommunity voices from poets around the worldIf you enjoy the podcast, you can support us by becoming a member, buying us a coffee, or making a donation via PayPal—all through our website. You can also help by sharing the podcast with your poetry friends and on social media. And yes—there’s a brief (and heartfelt) nod to Crystal Palace’s latest semi-final. Fingers firmly crossed. Subscribe to stay up to date with weekly poetry prompts, haiku, senryu, and readings. Keep writing. Featured Poets March Video Prompt Herb Tate Neena Singh David Cox Jennifer L. Blanck Mona Bedi Jacob Blumner  Lakshmi Iyer India  Melissa Dennison  Ralph Matthews Joshua gage Christopher Seep Vaishnavi Ramaswamy Alicia Samson Rohan Buettel Tony Williams   Bonus poetry   Robert Kingston, PPJ Autumn 2021 Mark Gilbert, PPJ Autumn 2021 Anne Morrigan, PPJ 2:23 MartinLucas from Freewheeling Brett Brady, PPJ 2021 John Hawkhead, PPJ Autumn 2020 Edward Cody Huddleston, Autumn 2020

    24 min
  2. S9E16 From Basho to Shiki classical lyrical haiku that endure

    APR 27

    S9E16 From Basho to Shiki classical lyrical haiku that endure

    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, today we turn to the male masters and their friends and contemporaries. These poems span stillness, seasonal awareness, humour, melancholy and the fleeting beauty at the heart of haiku. Expect frogs, evening breezes, cherry blossom, mountain mist and the famous old pond — along with the rarely heard response verse from its original renku. All poems are read in English translation, allowing the musicality and lyricism of classical Japanese haiku to shine through for modern listeners. If you love haiku, Japanese poetry, short-form poetry, or want inspiration for your own writing, this episode offers a rich selection from some of the greatest poets in the tradition. Don’t forget to add your poem to this month’s Poetry Pea video prompt in the comments on the channel, and support the podcast if you can. Links to the poems mentioned are in the show notes.

    17 min
  3. S9E15 Chiyo-ni and the search for lyrical haiku

    APR 20

    S9E15 Chiyo-ni and the search for lyrical haiku

    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” might mean in the context of haiku. For me, lyrical poetry creates an emotional connection without sentimentality, often supported by musicality, rhythm and the spoken quality of the words. Through a selection of Chiyo-ni’s poems, presented in English translation, I explore how her work achieves this balance with delicacy and restraint. You’ll hear a range of Chiyo-ni’s haiku, including the well-known morning glory poem, alongside lesser-known pieces that reveal her attentiveness to nature, human feeling and fleeting moments. I also discuss the challenges of translation and how different versions of the same poem can alter tone, rhythm and emotional impact. I’m also inviting you to take part: • What does “lyrical” mean to you in haiku? • Do you think lyrical poetry is missing from contemporary English-language haiku? • Send me your favourite lyrical haiku (with citations) for possible inclusion in a future episode. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting Poetry Pea with a membership, a coffee, or sharing it with your poetry friends. You can also join the mailing list to stay updated with future episodes. Show notes

    16 min
  4. S9E14 A handful of haibun but what links them?

    APR 13

    S9E14 A handful of haibun but what links them?

    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 for editing March’s video prompt and welcome Lakshmi Iyer, our guest editor for April. Be sure to submit your poems in the comments under the latest Poetry Pea YouTube video so they can be considered. Plus, there’s exciting news coming soon from Poetry Pea — and an opportunity you won’t want to miss. To make sure you hear about it, join the Poetry Pea membership via Buy Me a Coffee and sign up for the Poetry Pea mailing list. Pop in your earbuds and enjoy a thoughtful feast of haibun poetry. Poets included:   If Wishes Were Horses Reid Hepworth, DSH issue 29 September 2024 The Wailers Bisshie, Cattails 2025 A loneliness business, and yet . . . Chen-ou Li, Contemporary Haibun Online April 2026 Invisible Web Simon Wilson, Cattails, October 2025 Memento Neena Singh, Cattails, October 2025 Multiverse Melissa Dennison, Drifting Sands Haibun, Issue 34, Dec 25 The Far Shore Sandip Chauhan, haikuKATHA, Issue 43, May 2025 Grandpa Carr’s Kohlrabi Nicky Gutierrez, Tendrils Haibun Journal, 2024 Mauerspechte Bisshie, Wales Haiku Journal,Winter 25/26 Rain Robert Witmer Tokyo, Japan, Drifiting Sands Haibun, issue 34, Dec 2025 Iterations David J Kelly, Tendrils Haibun Journal, 2024 The Soles of my Feet Gerry Jacobson, Kokako, Issue 42, March 23, 2025 Tides Jill Muhrer, Tendrils Haibun Journal, 2025

    38 min
  5. S9E13 Haiku between wings, contemporary short poetry

    APR 6

    S9E13 Haiku between wings, contemporary short poetry

    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 to take part: Respond to our video prompts on YouTube, submit your haibun via our website, and join a growing international community of poets and listeners. 🎧 New episodes released weekly. Subscribe, listen, and let the words take flight.

    20 min
  6. S9E12 Poetry Pea Podcast Brilliant poetry and some highlights from our judges'

    MAR 30

    S9E12 Poetry Pea Podcast Brilliant poetry and some highlights from our judges'

    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—have read the poems anonymously and selected their nominations, decided on a Judges’ Choice and Honourable Mention. You’ll hear their thoughts during the show, with the final results revealed soon in the Poetry Pea Journal. We also share a few notices from Pea Towers, including details of upcoming submissions for our annual haibun journal, Tendrils, and how you can nominate poems for the Golden Pea Award anthology. Whether you’re an experienced poet or just discovering English language shortforms there’s something here for you. Subscribe, join our mailing list, and consider supporting the podcast to help keep the poetry flowing. And as always—keep writing. Episode notes

    1h 4m
  7. S9E11 One-line haiku love them or leave them.

    MAR 23

    S9E11 One-line haiku love them or leave them.

    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’ll also be following this series with a short essay drawing together ideas from all three episodes. Over the coming weeks, the Peacast will turn to your work, featuring original poetry written by listeners, followed by poems inspired by the Poetry Pea video prompt—continuing our focus on poetry out loud and shared creative practice. If you’d like to take part, you’re warmly invited to submit your work, respond to the prompts, or share your thoughts. Thank you for listening, and for being part of the Poetry Pea community. Until next time—keep writing show notes

    35 min
  8. S9E10 Kala Ramesh on Haiku – A Special Poetry Pea Podcast Conversation

    MAR 16

    S9E10 Kala Ramesh on Haiku – A Special Poetry Pea Podcast Conversation

    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 continue wrestling with the mysteries of the one-line haiku, I thought I’d share something special with you. In this episode you’ll hear part one of a conversation with renowned haiku poet Kala Ramesh, originally recorded for our sister podcast, Poetry Pea Readings. Kala’s insights into haiku, creativity and poetic practice are always inspiring, and it felt like the perfect conversation to revisit while we pause the one-line haiku series for a week. If you enjoy this discussion, you’ll find the link to part two in the show notes. Next week I’ll be back with part three of the one-line haiku extravaganza — and while I may not have answered every question swirling around in my head, I promise I’ll have given it a very good try. Check out the show notes for more detail...

    35 min
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About

Poetry Pea is a poetry podcast from www.poetrypea.com. It features haiku and senryu and other Japanese short form poetry. There are lots of free writing resources, workshops from experts, readings of original poetry, haiku and senryu, as well as prompts and writing exercises. You can submit your haiku or senryu to Patricia and be featured on the podcast and in the Poetry Pea Journal. Let’s write together.

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