haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering! 28th February 2026 Guest poet: Keiko Izawa

haikaiTALKS: Japanese aesthetics: ma|a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

A Disclaimer

Responsibility for the originality of the haikai rests solely with the submitting poet. 

If anyone feels that it is similar to another haikai, they are encouraged to contact the relevant poet directly.

Triveni Haikai India will take any action as recommended by the submitting poet.

***

Special Guest Poet: Keiko Izawa

host: Srinivasa Sambangi

haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

haikaiTALKS  28th February 2026

Japanese aesthetics – Ma (a.k.a. Yohaku no Bi)

The haijin Hasegawa Kai once asked an ikebana artist, “What is the difference between ikebana and flower arrangement?” The artist replied, “Flower arrangement tries to fill space with flowers, but ikebana tries to make space come alive with flowers”. This answer reflects ma, the beauty of blank, empty, white or negative space.

The Japanese have long preferred the beauty of emptiness to a clutter of objects -- even beautiful ones -- taking up space. Empty space, whether in ikebana, karesansui, gagaku, or sumi-e, as well as in haiku, allows the imagination to expand to new levels.

In haiku, ma refers to the space within letters, between letters and between lines. In Basho’s haiku, the kireji (cut/break): ‘ya’* creates a space between L1 and L2.

古池や 蛙飛び込む 水の音

furuike ya* / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto

old pond

the sound of a frog

jumping in

The furuike: old pond; creates a ma between itself and the sound of the frog jumping into the pond. The ma after L1 is a deep pause that evokes our aesthetic sense. Old ponds, like old wells, are forgotten places and are said to symbolize death. The sound of a frog jumping into the water symbolises life and movement. By depicting the frog jumping into the ancient pond, which represents a world associated with death, the author breathes new life into it.

Samples:

1.

swallowtail

maybe I’ll

say yes

~ Francie Banworth

2.

大の字に寝て 涼しさよ 淋しさよ

dai no ji ni nete / suzushisa yo / sabishisa yo

lying spread-eagle

cool

lonely

~ Issa

3.

tundra

~ Coh van den Heuvel

(References: Culture of Ma by Hasegawa Kai; Why Basho Is the Supreme Haijin by Ohwa Yasuhiro)

A Few Thoughts on Ma

• Ma is not emptiness; it is living space.

　　 It is the quiet openness that allows meaning to expand.

• Ma invites the reader to enter.

         When everything is explained, the space narrows.

• What is left unsaid often carries deeper resonance.

• Ma is born from restraint.

         Fewer explanations, fewer emotional cues, fewer decorative words.

• Ma trusts the reader’s sensitivity.

         It does not instruct the reader how to feel.

• Ma can appear in distance, pause, or what is deliberately withheld.

          Even a small choice — a word removed, a repetition avoided, a relationship left implicit — can widen or compress the space.

• Within ma, Japanese aesthetics often quietly reside.

           I encourage you to gently weave into your own ku the Japanese aesthetics we have been exploring throughout our previous threads.

Poets,

To strengthen ma, careful attention should be given to the pairing (toriawase) of elements. When the images rely on simple analogy or close resemblance, the connection resolves too easily. A slightly wider distance between them — enough to prevent direct explanation — allows ma to emerge more fully.

As you write, consider not only what you include, but also what you allow to remain open.

In that openness, ma begins to breathe.

This week you are requested to write up to two haiku that express ma, creating a sense of space, rather than filling space with words.

As usual, try to use kigo from the lists below. You can also use your local season words that are not listed here.

“A Dictionary of Haiku Classified by Season Words with Traditional and Modern Methods,” by Jane Reichhold:

https://thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/7fb6654a1dfd1afef973

69da920530f8.pdf

Indian subcontinent SAIJIKI:

https://www.trivenihaikai.in/indian-saijiki

The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words:

http://www.2hweb.net/haikai/renku/500ESWd.html

The World Kigo Database:

https://wkdkigodatabase03.blogspot.com/

The Yuki Teikei Haiku Season Word List:

https://yths.org/season-word-list/

Thanks, Keiko! Another beautiful post. Thanks a lot.

I hope our poets take the challenge and create a haiku on these lines! Keenly looking ahead to this month.

Greatly indebted to you.

Dear Members,

We need constant practice and what better place than haikaiTALKS

with Keiko.

Please provide your feedback on others' commentary and poems as well.

We are continuing haikaiTALKS in full swing!

Keep writing and commenting! _kala