S8E26 There is No Haiku without Zoka

Poetry Pea - haiku and other English Language Japanese short forms

Without zoka, there is no haiku…

Zoka — the creative, the generative force that animates the universe — is more than a concept. It's the heartbeat of haiku.

In this week’s Poetry Pea Podcast, I reflect on Janice Doppler’s brilliant essay, “Following Bashō, Following Zoka,” and the powerful conversations it’s sparked within our community. I talk about my own grappling with the idea — from my strict Catholic upbringing to gradually recognizing zoka in my writing, even before I had the language for it.

We’ll explore what haiku can be when we allow transformation, transience, and seasonality to rise above static images or generic kigo. 🌀

What does it mean to feel the seasons in an urban space? How can we write haiku that breathe and evolve with nature — not just describe it?

🎙️ Tune in and journey with us through change, through poetry, through zoka.

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