I’d agree with that. However I think thats the case when you get first person chapters for multiple characters, its easier to put the story together before them.

How far did you get? And are you saying Mistborn is better? Thats great news for me!

[How to Read Haiku]

Reading haiku is a fun skill and like any skill, it develops and improves over time as you practice it. If you put more time in, you will get more out of reading haiku. If you skim haiku, you will miss the point (there is always a point).

What is haiku? English haiku are typically written as three liners in a 'short - long - short' pattern (they need not be only 5 - 7 - 5). English haiku are sometimes written as one long line these days. Haiku have to contain an element of surprise, a turning, a connection, or an ambiguity. Some haiku have more than one of these elements.

Don't skim read haiku. They are short but densely packed. Go back and reread haiku to explore the ambiguities and surprises. You will often find more on a second or third read. Read the words and be in the scene but don't confuse the words for the scene. The words point to something and what they point to is where the fun of haiku is! (Good memes work in a similar fashion. The fun is in what is being pointed to, not a literal interpretation.) Don't interpret haiku; they are not a literal writing form. Poetry never is literal. Don't overthink haiku! Explore haiku!

That said, let's pull apart one that I wrote last year. This haiku follows a 5 - 7 - 5 old-school syllable pattern.

yellow leaves fall through

ripples in the sky and clouds

bubble up a duck

Here I have ripples in the sky, but ripples are associated with water... hmm. The leaves are yellow, so it's fall. The association with water ripples and leaves falling through the sky but water? Hmm... are the leaves falling through sky and cloud ripples, falling through water ripples, making ripples? All of the above! As you wish! Next I have the ripples in the sky and clouds but are the ripples the clouds rippling or the (implied pond/water) rippling the sky and the clouds? All of the above! As you wish! Lastly, the rippling sky and clouds (reflected in the water?) bubble up a duck. The duck surfaces after the bubbles.

This haiku is intentionally ambiguous and the lines run together. It can be read as:

- yellow leaves fall — through ripples — in the sky and clouds — bubble up a duck

- yellow leaves fall through ripples — in the sky and clouds bubble up a duck

- yellow leaves fall through ripples in the sky — and clouds bubble up a duck

... those are just three ways to break it down (there are more) and the reader is meant to explore all of it as they read and reread the haiku.

My intention when writing this was:

yellow leaves fall through ripples in the sky and clouds bubble up a duck

I have a fondness for ambiguity in haiku and running the lines together in unusual ways. Every haiku writer has their favourite ways to write. Play, just like kids do; that is the key to reading (and writing) haiku.

Here is a literal description of what was happening that inspired this haiku: I was crossing a bridge at a park near my house, the yellow autumn leaves were falling from the trees, there were wavy bands of clouds in the sky and ripples in the pond reflecting it all. Suddenly some bubbles popped up through the ripples, followed by a duck!

I'll end this with a haiku about writing haiku (with the help of a cat).

writing

and scratching out

the cat yawns

— Sacred Peak (Dale)

sacredpeak.ink

#haiku #haikusenryu #poetry #writing #read #reading #readstr #photography #creatr #artstr #grownostr #plebchain #sacredpeakdotink

Interesting, I have only recently become interested in haiku, I would like to learn more. Your haiku are fascinating as I can't square them with western verse (both "modern" poetry, and the older alliterative verse) which is all I have previously investigated/enjoyed. And I would love to understand some of the rules.

Don’t understand the appeal. The books are tightly structured is the best I can say about them.

Have any of you read Red Rising? I’m on book 5 out of 7 and its amazing. Will check out Mistborn when im finished.

There’s a second set of four Mistborn books set later, but they follow different characters, since the core trilogy stands on its own. There are strong references to the core trilogy in them though.

I don’t like those books as much as the core trilogy, but they’re okay. They’re purposely more pulpy and less epic.

Sanderson is going to make two more Mistborn series, each set a bit further in the future. I don’t know how good they’ll be but that world isn’t done yet.

Sanderson has other books set in the broader shared universe. Stormlight Archives is the best-known of them, as it’s going to be ten 1000+ page books, with five out. There are some minor Stormlight/Mistborn crossover details in them.

I’d consider recommending Stormlight, but I am hesitant. The first two books are incredible. Up there with Mistborn, and more complex with characters you get really attached to. The third is still pretty good. The fourth and fifth in my view (and a nontrivial percentage of fans view) start to decline. So unless the sixth and subsequent books get better, I am more hesitant with recommending Stormlight.

Of all his countless books, his core Mistborn trilogy is my favorite because it’s a well-done complete epic tale from start to finish.

Last two are straight FIRE! 🔥

[monday]

a tap drips,

my mind — is leaking

too

begging bowl

hissing, scratching, biting —

breakfast cats

four

duotangs — one year

of me

sitting

for twenty years — a coin

in the lining

incubating

all alone — a brown half-robe

chrysalis

sacredpeak.ink

#haiku #haikusenryu #poetry #writing #handwriting #artstr #penstr #plebchain #grownostr #plebstr #sacredpeak #GM #teachain

Plato also saw this world this way, believing "particulars" to exist outside of the mind and were intrinsically true (both physical things that can be measured like math and science, but also metaphysical). Ironically Aristotle the more scientific of the two believed that truth was created by the human mind and was subjective.

I see the world the same way Hardy does, that truth and beauty are the same thing, and a pursuit of both is the pursuit of wisdom. Wisdom is often characterized as a beautiful woman for a reason.

Also, will you marry me 🥵

Still life with a plant and a vase (2022)

Oil on 40 x 50 cm canvas

Still one of my favorites. The vase was a challenge on its own, but I’m really happy how it turned out.

Hope you like it too!

#paintings #fineart #oilpainting #oilpaintings #art #artstr #oilpaint #oilcolor #traditionalart #realismart #realism #contemporaryart #classicpainting #photorealism #stilllifeart #stilllife #creative #gallery

[sunday]

the glare

of a blank page — waiting

for words

putting

away Nostr — picking

up a pen

falling asleep

a cat purrs — waking up

a cat purrs

a cap of snow

a scarf of snow —

brrr statue

only seeing

his gait — recognizing

a friend

sacredpeak.ink

#haiku #haikusenryu #poetry #writing #handwriting #artstr #penstr #plebchain #grownostr #plebstr #sacredpeak #catstr #origami #GM

Greetings from Italy. 🇮🇹💜

First sunset of 2025, It seems to promise a year of great paintings...🎨🫂

[monday]

frosted sun

shines through the cloud and bare trees —

in his eyes

scratching out

these words — behind the ear

cat scratches

winding down

the low winter sun —

and the year

a handful

receiving one, again —

debit machine

cool bedroom

moving closer / apart —

heat regulation

sacredpeak.ink

#haiku #haikusenru #poetry #writing #handwriting #penstr #winter #plebstr #plebchain #grownostr #sacredpeak