Haiku is punctuated with interjections, kireji.
Their
role is principaly to introduce void space into the poem. In classical
Japanese and Chinese paintings, artists often leave white or monochrome
space to create space between objects. Kireji make a clearer image.
Western culture take attention to the addition, Japanese culture to the substraction. Japanese use kireji as an eraser.
Their role is also to complete the verse to have the right syllable number.
The most frequent are :
kana : to tell at the end of a verse a final exclamation, marking the haiku failure. It underlines the precedent word and indicates it as the haiku central word. (emphasis).
ya: to mark admiration, asthonishment, with sometimes a touch of interrogation or doubt. It is often placed at the end of the first or second verse.
keri:
placed at the haiku end, noting the end of something, melancholia of passing
time.
Personal annotation:
I try to avoid this kind of cheville, even if there is a lack of syllables. I prefer not to corrupt the image for a syllable count.I sometimes
use, with the excuse of adding sense, "and" and "that".
| humid
earth touches
the rumbles of thunder and falling rain |
|
| un
trou d'eau tranquille
quelques insectes y nagent un monde qui se mange |