Culinary haikus - an AI suggestion

"Haiku moments are the will-o’-wisps we seek. The purest of them aren’t formed by effort. They arise naturally when we allow ourselves to simply be." The Haiku Foundation

Yes I know - the above quote is a bit hippie and feel good is it not? Still on a day, when I'm fasting, and I sort of wish I could just be, on a whim I decided to look at some of the AI suggestions that Wix's AI bot comes up with every day and found 'Culinary haikus'. Will-o'-the wisps indeed. Do they even exist?

So I went looking and found The Haiku Foundation which had a few culinary haikus, and those new age words - not sure what the right descriptor is here, but you know what I mean. But here is my first example from there that I think is rather lovely:

"more haze

than a garden can hold

evening barbeque"

Carol Jones

And I found some rather lovely photos to illustrate it as well, of which the one above is the best - I think. Or maybe this one too, which has a rather different vibe. Less romantic, but actually probably more appropriate for the haiku for this backyard definitely has less room for the smoke, although there is happiness and companionship there too. Of a different kind. Friends not family I suspect.

But am I doing the haikus a disservice by seeking out an actual pictorial representation, or am I in some way trying to realise what the haiku evoked in my mind's eye?

A second one:

"rain—

she adds a teabag

to the boiling water"

Rahma O. Jimoh

It's the word 'rain' that makes that one doesn't it? And I think this picture almost sums it up - but no pouring of the water and no teabag, but 'she' is there in the strands of hair hanging down and the rain even seems to have come into the room.

I actually found a lot of romantic photographs of teacups in front of a rainy day window, but not a teabag in sight. Well I suppose teabags are not romantic are they? But rain - yes a melancholy feel counterbalanced by the cosiness of a cup of tea. Obviously a popular trope as there were lots of photographs.

I've always liked haikus. Not that I have sought them out, or ever composed any of my own. I knew there were rules, and not many words, but I thought the rules encompassed how many syllables in each line. But not so. There are rules, but the rule is ''17 syllables in three lines'. Well not quite it seems. Originally - back in 17th century Japan - Wikipedia says the rule was: "three phrases composed of 17 morae (called on in Japanese) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern" Morae being a syllable. However, today many poets - as we can see - do not comply with that pattern. There should also be a 'kireji' - a cutting word, which I guess would be 'rain' in the above haiku or 'haze' in the first one. And a seasonal reference - or 'kigo'. Well those two almost comply - 'rain' again and 'evening'? Be that as it may, these kinds of poems were given the name 'haiku' in the nineteenth century by the Japanese poet - Masaoka Shiki. One last note on form. The Japanese print their haiku in a single line traditionally, elsewhere it's usually three lines.

Children are pretty god at haiku, with the writer of The Haiku Foundation saying that:

"Unlike adults, young children do not carry around the concerns and worries of the world. They have yet to have years of self-consciousness weigh down their creative efforts. Their first impulse is followed without wondering whether it will be “good enough”. They simply create. It is a freedom many of us long for in our own writing."

So true. Maybe the best writers in the world have something of the child still within. Maybe all artists do. This one is from a 6th grader, so almost an adolescent, but since food is involved here it is:

"Red, ripe tomato

Fly slowly drains its color

Then quickly retreats"

I do remember once seeing a haiku written by a child which expressed his/her love of the sound of a computer. I wish I could find it.

Our Haiku Foundation lady is keen for us all to give it a go - don't worry - I won't because poetry is not my thing. And if I ever would be tempted it would be done in secret. Her advice is also very - well hippy - a kind of vibe that we probably all make fun of, but which we should very possible admire, indeed, aim for:

"I’d like for you to try to clear your mind, breathe deeply, and follow the first image or feeling that comes to mind. Take a minute to jot down your impressions and see where it goes. Try not to take too long or spend too much time on revision. Allow yourself to trust your own inborn haiku mind." The Haiku Foundation

I don't think I trust my own 'inborn haiku mind' - I waffle too much to be that precise. But maybe you could give it a try some time. And obviously others have - do. Of all places I found some 'culinary haikus' on reddit - here are a couple:

"translucent amber

long forgotten on the shelf

crystallized honey"

WatervsStone/reddit - a marginally poetic name as well.

When I was looking for pictures to illustrate the concept, I was somewhat distressed to see how many were accompanied by instructions on how to decrystallise - basically just warm it up - because David goes to great lengths to get his breakfast honey to crystallize. And I think I'm with him. The slight crunchiness that you get is a bonus not a problem.

This one is called Leftover pizza:

"Some like it hot

Some cold

I like it room temp" u/eboj-dm/reddit

Just to show that you can be humorous as well with a haiku. They don't have to be melancholy, romantic, uplifting ... I guess it's not even that clever, just like somebody talking, but somehow it works.

As I said I would like to just allow myself to be. But most usually the world inevitably intrudes. The brain keeps ticking over. Somewhat relentlessly when you are trying to go to sleep. Maybe next time I am feeling relatively calm I should try and write a haiku. Maybe I should make you all write a haiku in the Comments section at the bottom of this post. On food of course. Which I am not eating today. A day of fasting. Now is that a good first line? 5 syllables gone 12 left.

Thank you Wix AI - although I think you need to get over your current fusion fix.

YEARS GONE BY

March 11 - my sister flies home to England today. Bon voyage Jenny - and Philip too of course.

2024 - Nothing

2023 - Should we abhor stock cubes?

2022 - It's Friday!

2021 - Quintessential Middle-Eastern

2020 - Deleted

2019 - Nothing

2018 - Nothing

2017 - I could steam-cook if I wanted to