Haiku: A Poet's Guide

Rating:
Summary: Not Just Beginners . . .
Review: . . . but anyone serious about writing haiku in English (or any language, if they read English) will find *Haiku: A Poet's Guide* invaluable. Unlike other books on haiku which make your head spin with lists and rules for beginners, this one helps beginners get off the ground and soon reach the point where they can evaluate their own work. Coming as it does from the editor of the premiere English-language haiku magazine and a fine poet (get his *Fresh Scent*, while you're at it), this book goes into more depth, yields more insight, than anything else available in the field so far. This is the one to keep on your desk or in your backpack.

Rating:
Summary: An essential book...
Review: An essential book for anyone concerned with haiku and its writing. Lee Gurga deals with all the technical and philosophical points related to the haiku writing in short, clear, precise chapters . Without grandeliquent discussions, Gurga goes to the important aspects for every point. Each is illustrated by clear examples that help the reader to assimilate it. In my opinion this book is an indispensable introduction for every beginner but also very useful to experienced poets in helping them to reassess his or her own style.

Serge Tome, editor of tempslibres.org

Rating:
Summary: An essential book...
Review: An essential book for anyone concerned with haiku and its writing. Lee Gurga deals with all the technical and philosophical points related to the haiku writing in short, clear, precise chapters . Without grandeliquent discussions, Gurga goes to the important aspects for every point. Each is illustrated by clear examples that help the reader to assimilate it. In my opinion this book is an indispensable introduction for every beginner but also very useful to experienced poets in helping them to reassess his or her own style.

Serge Tome, editor of tempslibres.org

Rating:
Summary: If you want to know "how a haiku means" in English...
Review: If you want to know "how a haiku means" in English (as the poet John Ciardi might have said), buy this book.

Haiku, A Poet's Guide is a concise introduction to the art, craft, and aesthetics of haiku in English. The example haiku alone, selected by Gurga from poems that were suggested by many poets, are worth the price of the book. Gurga's illuminating comments on individual poems and on haiku in general are even more valuable.