Arrowed Hearts (Hay(na)ku)

Cupid
Pierces sinews
With potent love

Two hearts fly
Spiralling high
Above

M. Moran
12.02.09
15.50

The Hay(na)ku Verse Form, a 21st century poetry form. Invented by poet Eileen Tabios, who is also publisher, Meritage Press. Officially inaugurated on the Web on June 12th, 2003 (Philippine Independence Day). The form spread through the Web to poets all over the world. Eileen Tabios initially called the form "the Pinoy Haiku". Vince Gotera proposed the name "hay(na)ku", and this name has stuck. This corresponds to a Tagalog phrase that means roughly "Oh!" or (in Spanish) "Madre ". The last syllable is pronounced "ko" so maybe the final name will be even more independent of "hayku": "hay(na)ko".

In a traditional Hay(na)ku, there are: A tercet: 3 lines. A total of 6 words: 1 in the first line, 2 in the second line, and 3 in the third line. There is no restriction on syllables or stressed or rhymes.

Variations:

In the 'reverse' haynaku, the longest line is placed first and the shortest last. The total is still 6 words: 3 in the first line, 2 in the second line, and 1 in the third line. Multiple hay(na)ku can be chained to form a longer poem. There are other variations also.