Poetry Pea - haiku and other English Language Japanese short forms

Join Patricia for a special episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, featuring original tanka poetry from contemporary writers around the world. In this episode, she shares the judges’ nominations for the best tanka selected for the forthcoming Poetry Pea Journal. If you enjoy tanka, haiku, short-form poetry, or modern Japanese-inspired verse, this episode offers fresh poems, thoughtful commentary, and an inside look at the judging process. Perfect listening for poets, readers, and anyone passionate about tanka and micropoetry.If you enjoy this podcast do think about supporting our work, thank you.Buy us a coffeeTake out a membership Or simply share this episode with your poetry pals and leave us a comment or review. It really does help the show grow.

This week on the Poetry Peacast, we welcome Scottish poet Claire Thom, joining us from Andalusia, Spain. Claire, founder of Wee Sparrow Press, shares haiku and haibun from her beautiful collection Wildflowers in Oyster Stone. It's always enjoyable to hear a poet read their work, don't you think?Discover how travel, nature, and poetic craft intertwine as we talk about the art of haiku editing and the inspiration behind her work.If you love contemporary haiku, haibun, and international poetry, this episode will enchant you.✨ Don’t forget to sign up for the Poetry Pea mailing list for news on our upcoming anthology, amongst other things — a little gem in itself!show notes.

In this episode, we visit with Canadian poet Allison Douglas Tourner, who reads from her haunting and beautiful collection sticks & bones. Together, we wander through memory, myth, and the stories that shape us — from childhood books to the darker corners of imagination.There’s also a bit of breaking news for poetry lovers: publication of the Poetry Pea Anthology is imminent, so be sure you’re on the mailing list — it’s the perfect poetry gift for Christmas.Join us for poetry, reflection, and a touch of wonder.Show notes

As the rain lashes Zürich and the winter tyres go on, it’s time to escape to somewhere warmer! In this episode of the Poetry Peacast, we’re off to the beaches of Langkawi, Malaysia — swapping snowflakes for seashells and cold toes for sand between them.Patricia shares previously published haiku and senryu from the beach, plus new poems inspired by our latest video prompt. Expect crows, carols, and a touch of tropical sunshine — all wrapped up in the warmth of our global poetry community.With thanks to Neena Singh for her expert curating, and to all the poets who took part in this month’s prompt.If you’d like to join in, leave your haiku or senryu in the comments under the video on our YouTube channel (not by email, please!) and maybe you’ll be featured next time.🌴 Keep writing, keep watching the waves, and see you next week for more poetic adventures.Episode notes

It’s Poetry Pea’s birthday! To celebrate, we’re throwing a Senryū Pop Quiz — and you’re invited.In this episode, we put our poetic instincts to the test: can you tell your haiku from your senryū? Or have some poems wandered off into the wild world of micropoetry?Join us for a fun, thought-provoking episode full of literary nerdery, and maybe a little friendly controversy. We’ll also celebrate Joshua St. Claire’s award-winning haiku and revisit what makes haiku haiku, and senryū, senryū, from seasonal references to intuition and exposés.Tune in, play along, and then head to the show notes to compare your answers with ours. Let’s see how many you get right—no cheating!

In this episode of Poetry Pea: The Senryū Sessions (Part Two), Patricia dives deeper into the poetic dance between haiku and senryū — where do they meet, and where do they part ways? With insights from scholars like Shirane, Wirth, Pizzarelli, and Virgil, we explore what makes a haiku an observation and a senryū a commentary. Through poems by Linda Ludwig, Vera Constantineau, Sam Blair, Shiki, Matt Snyder and others, we untangle how tone, imagery, and human perspective shape these distinct short forms.Join us as we question, laugh, and maybe disagree — all in the spirit of good poetry.🎧 Featuring:Thoughtful comparisons between haiku and senryūReadings and analysis of poems from Poetry Pea Journal and Prune JuiceA few surprises (and laughs) along the way🕊️ Keep up with the series and make sure you've subscribed to the Podcast, wherever you are listening.Maybe leave us a review, it would be most appreciated.

This episode of the Poetry PeaPodcast is Part One of a series on senryū. A form of Japanese short poetryWe begin by asserting that senryū do not have to be humorous. They offer sharp, human insights that continue to spark debate among poets and editors. In this episode you’ll hear examples from both the Japanese canon and contemporary English-language poets, with commentary and context to guide you.Over the coming episodes in this series, we’ll learn the differences between haiku & senryū, discover the living practice of senryū, and consider their place alongside haiku in today’s poetry world.Perfect for anyone curious about senryū, haiku, and Japanese short-form poetry in English.

In this special episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, Patricia celebrates International Dot Day with the Poetry Pea community. Join us for a playful look at haiku and flashku, inspired by dots, creativity and courage.Patricia shares news about the brand-new Poetry Pea Journal 4:25 — full of original haiku, creepy-crawly poems, video prompt selections, and the latest judges’ choice. You’ll also hear how poets responded to a social media challenge and a flashku call-out.Whether you’re a seasoned haiku poet or just curious about short-form poetry, this episode is packed with inspiration and poems to spark your creativity.Show notes

Original poems by global poets.Welcome to the Poetry Pea Podcast – your home for haiku, senryū and short-form poetry. 🐞🦋🐝In this episode, inspired by Liam Maguire’s “creepy crawly” presentation, our judges Clive Grewcock, Melissa Dennison and Liam himself share their nominations for the Judges’ Choice. Expect beetles, butterflies, ants, dragonflies, spiders and more – all captured in the tiny but powerful form of haiku and senryū.✨ What you’ll hear:Original haiku, senryū and one-line poems from poets around the worldCommentary from our judges A lively selection of poems which will be some of the poems featured in Poetry Pea Journal 4:25Sign up for our mailing list for early access, special offers, and submission opportunities💌 Submissions are open for tanka 1-15th Oct 2025– check the diary & guidelines on our website before sending!☕ Like what we do? Support the Poetry Pea Podcast:Become a memberBuy us a coffeeShare this podcast with your poetry-loving friendsShow notes

✨ Welcome to the Poetry Pea Podcast ✨In this episode, we share beautiful haiku and senryū from our community, inspired by the video prompts. You’ll hear poetry chosen by editor Amy Watson from the August prompt, and we’ll look ahead to September’s beach-themed prompt curated by Neena Singh.Alongside the poetry, I raise an important question about fairness in haiku competitions — something for us all to consider as members of the short form poetry community. And, to end, we return to more poems from you, our listeners, to bring us back to calm reflection.📌 What’s inside this episode:Haiku and senryū from the Poetry Pea communityHighlights from the August video prompt (Tango-inspired)A discussion on fairness in haiku competitionsMore community poems to close the show💌 Don’t miss out! Join the Poetry Pea mailing list to hear about new journals, prompts, and podcast episodes first: [link]If you enjoy writing haiku, & senryū, or simply love listening to short form poetry, this episode is for you.

In this episode we round off our tanka series with something a little different – kyōka.Kyōka are often described as the “wild poems” of the tanka world – witty, playful, and full of wry social commentary. Think of them as to tanka what senryū are to haiku.👉 What you’ll hear in this episode:A short introduction to kyōka and their place in Japanese poetryExamples from the Japanese, translated into EnglishContemporary kyōka written originally in EnglishA light-hearted discussion about humour in poetry📚 Don’t forget – our latest haibun journal Tendrils is out now. Link in the show notes if you’d like to grab a copy (print or PDF).💌 Want to support Poetry Pea?Become a member, buy us a coffee, or simply share this episode on your social media. Every little helps to keep the podcast going and spread the word.🖊️ Submissions:Check our submissions diary for current calls. We’d love to read your work in future episodes.Thank you for listening – and most importantly, keep writing.

Welcome to Poetry Pea! In this episode, Patricia shares practical tips and writing exercises on how to write superior tanka poetry. Building on last week’s look at the ten styles of poetry, today we dive into Teika’s principles, examples of great tanka, and step-by-step challenges to help you improve your craft.Whether you’re brand new to tanka, already writing haiku and senryū, or preparing to submit your work to poetry journals, this podcast will give you inspiration, structure, and confidence in your writing.📌 What you’ll learn in this episode:What makes a tanka “superior”Common mistakes to avoid when writing tankaTeika’s timeless advice on style, rhythm, and languagePractical exercises (including a 15-day tanka challenge)How to get ready for submissions in OctoberEpisode Show notesPlease support us with a:MembershipCoffee Giving us lovely shout outs on your social media.

✨ Today we’re diving into the world of Fujiwara no Teika (1162–1241) — one of Japan’s most influential poets, teachers, and literary critics. If you’re curious about tanka poetry, this is a perfect place to start.In this podcast we’ll explore:Teika’s ten styles of waka and why they still matterHis core ideal of ushin (“conviction of feeling”)The four fundamental styles every poet should try and 6 to have a go at once they are masteredAlong the way, I’ll share classic examples of waka and tanka, plus some modern tanka poems to show how Teika’s ideas resonate today.📺 Don’t miss the latest video prompt, edited this month by the brilliant Neena Singh — a chance to spark your own writing and join in the conversation.🔗 Check the show notes for sources, translations, and links to related podcasts. poetrypea.comIf you enjoy learning about Japanese poetry, tanka, haiku, and poetics, do give this video a like, leave a comment with your favourite poem or style, and subscribe for more deep dives into poetry and prompts every week.show notes

What you can learn about writing haiku today, Use of the season Use of line breaks develops The rhythm & language of haiku poetry How to lay out your work Understand ma—the space between Master the use of repetition Symmetry The use of sound in haiku poetry, but you can broaden that idea out write haiku which utilise all the senses

Welcome to the PoetryPea Podcast, your go-to show for English-language haiku, senryu, and other short-form poetry. In this special episode, we’re embracing the lighter side of verse with a delightful collection of funny senryu.When community member Melissa Dennison asked for more humour in her life, we thought—what better way to celebrate the joy of poetry than with poems that make us laugh, smirk, or even groan? Whether you're a poet, a poetry lover, or just someone who enjoys a clever twist in senryū, this episode is for you.🪲 What’s happening at Poetry Pea?We’re currently accepting submissions for creepy crawlie haiku. Visit our submissions diary to find out how to send us your best insect-inspired verses.Check out our latest video prompt on the Poetry Pea YouTube channel, this month hosted by the wonderful Amy Watson, who’s taken over from the equally fabulous Linda Ludwig. Be sure to show Amy some love—and don’t forget to add your poem in the comments!✨ Want to help shape the podcast?Support us by becoming a Poetry Pea member. Members enjoy special opportunities to influence episode themes, submit work, and support the ongoing work of spreading high-quality short-form poetry worldwide. Details in the show notes. If you can't do that, and I understand, maybe buy us a coffee, or spread the love about this podcast on social media, and leave a review wherever you listen.🎧 Hit play, have a laugh, and enjoy the magic of funny haiku and witty senryu—because poetry can be profound and playful.