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haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering! 2nd May 2026

haikaiTALKS: Sense switching|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.


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haikaiTALKS 

Guest poet: Srinivasa Rao Sambangi


haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

2nd May 2026

 

Haiku technique: Sense switching


This week we will discuss the technique, as Jane Reichhold calls it sense switching, also known as synaesthesia. William J. Higginson defines synesthesia as a special variety of metaphor in which the author writes of one sensation in terms of another. I personally find it’s one of the difficult techniques.


It’s a favorite technique of haiku masters, but they too used it with great discretion. It speaks the sensory aspect of a thing and changes to another sensory aspect as we move to second or third line of the haiku. Sense switching makes the scene more evocative, intimate and memorable. The beauty of this technique lies in its ability to break conventional perception, creating a more vivid, often surreal image that engages the reader deeply. 


The best example of this technique is old pond haiku by Basho. Though this poem has many other aesthetics and techniques in it, you would see the sense switching from visual in first two lines to auditory in third line.

 

Examples of sense switching


Visual vs Auditory


winter prairie —

a diesel locomotive

throttles down in the night

                    Lee Gurga

one star

now two …

frog songs

Benjamin Moeller

 

Visual vs tactile


 earthshine

 on the new moon

 first kiss

       Keith Heiberg


Olfactory vs auditory


scent of snow

unable to recall

my father’s voice

                    Claire Everett

 

Gustatory vs auditory


warriorsthe

bitterness of pickles

in the talk

            Basho, tr Jane Reichhold

 

Tactile vs auditory


rosary beads the rise and fall of his heartbeat

                                       Hifsa Ashraf

   

Prompt for this week:

Please write one or two haiku using sense switching technique


References:


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KIGO WORDS

Shall we please try to include a kigo word in all the poems we share here?

Give the season and the word — under your poem. 


I'm quoting Lev Hart's request here: "This week’s goal is to compose two verses with toriawase, blending wabi, sabi, karumi, mono no aware, and/or yugen. Tell us which aesthetic concepts you mean to express in a line below the verse. Strive for originality. Avoid stock phrases and shopworn images."


For seasonal references, please check these lists:

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


indian subcontinent SAIJIKI:


The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words:


The World Kigo Database:

 

The Yuki Teikei Haiku Season Word List:


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

We are continuing haikaiTALKS in full swing!

Keep writing and commenting! _kala


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