Poetry Pea - haiku and other English Language Japanese short forms

Take a journey into the beautifully observed world of poet Vandana Parashar in this Poetry Pea Summer Classic. Originally recorded as part of our popular reading series, Vandana reads from her acclaimed collection Alone, I Am Not, sharing poems rich in humanity, quiet insight and the extraordinary moments hidden within everyday life.

We also celebrate the publication of her more recent collection, We, the People, a book that continues her thoughtful exploration of the lives we share. Check out the link in the show notes.

Whether you're discovering Vandana's work for the first time or...

Join us for a special summer replay of the Poetry Pea Podcast featuring award-winning haiku poet David J Kelly reading from his acclaimed collection small hadron divider, a Touchstone Distinguished Books Honourable Mention.

In this thoughtful and engaging episode, David explores the fascinating meeting point of science and poetry. Inspired by the six flavours of quarks and the forces that bind the universe together, small hadron divider is a collection that reveals the extraordinary within the everyday. Hear David read from the book and talk about the ideas, craft and curiosity that shaped this remarkable work.

In this special summer replay, Patricia McGuire welcomes acclaimed haiku poet Tyrone McDonald for a memorable Poetry Pea reading and conversation.

Tyrone's haiku explore family, identity, race, music, memory and the natural world with remarkable clarity and emotional depth. From the unforgettable morning fog / when my embryo... had gills to poems of jazz, gratitude, homecoming and history, his work demonstrates the power of the short poetic forms.

Along the way, we consider Ferris Gilli's thoughts on resonance in haiku and hear Etheridge Knight's famous observation that making jazz swing in seventeen syllables "ain't no square...

This week on Poetry Pea, we're revisiting one of the highlights from our much-loved reading series.

Join acclaimed poet Lorraine Padden as she reads from her beautiful collection Upwelling, sharing poems rich in observation, memory and the quiet moments that so often inspire haiku and related forms.

Whether you're discovering Lorraine's work for the first time or returning to this favourite episode, it's the perfect opportunity to enjoy a thoughtful poetry reading and celebrate the craft of concise, image-rich writing.

As Poetry Pea takes a gentle summer stroll through the archives, we're delighted...

Join us for a special Poetry Pea Salon recording featuring Reid Hepworth reading from her award-winning collection, The Improbability of Sea Monkeys.

Reid's book has received an HSA Merit Book Award, recognised for its evocative haiku and haibun, its honest exploration of identity and memory, and its vivid portrayal of growing up in the 1960s and 70s.

In this Poetry Pea Salon event, Reid shares her poems and the stories behind them.

📖 About the collection:

The Improbability of Sea Monkeys is a deeply personal journey through childhood, history, identity and belonging, tol...

In this episode of Poetry Pea, the leading English-language haiku podcast, Patricia asks can a single line hold an entire world?

In this special Poetry Pea podcast, we explore the art of the one-line haiku and senryū through a carefully curated selection of original poems chosen from our latest submission period.

Writing a successful one-line poem is far more challenging than it appears. In this episode you'll hear the poems selected for publication, discover why some stood out from hundreds of submissions, and listen to commentary exploring what makes an effective one-liner.

This e...

In this episode, In this episode of Poetry Pea, the leading English-language haiku podcast, Patricia McGuire shares the haiku and senryū selected from the June 2026 Poetry Pea Video Prompt, beautifully curated by Lakshmi Iyer.

Expect poems filled with birdsong, summer heat, nesting season, squirrels, sparrows, warblers and the small moments that make haiku so memorable. Alongside the selected poems, Patricia also reads a collection of bonus sparrow haiku by contemporary poets and classics from Bashō and Buson.

If today's episode inspires you, why not join the next Poetry Pea Video Prompt? New prompts appear on th...

In this episode of Poetry Pea, the leading English-language haiku podcast, Patricia asks what makes a haiku a haiku? Is there really a difference between traditional and contemporary haiku, or have we complicated something that was once quite simple?

In this episode of the Poetry Peacast, Patricia explores the essential elements of the Japanese haiku tradition, discussing the must haves of haiku.

Drawing on the work of Haruo Shirane, William J. Higginson, Michael Dylan Welch and Robert D. Wilson, she examines why seasonality matters, how the cut creates resonance, and why these techniques continue to...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, Patricia McGuire introduces the remarkable poetry of Anne McKay, an award-winning Canadian poet whose lyrical haiku and haiku-inspired poetry deserve to be much better known.

She explores a selection of Anne McKay's haiku, looking at her evocative imagery, her musical use of language, her distinctive use of white space, and the subtle techniques that make her poems linger long after they've been read. Along the way, Patricia reflects on reading haiku aloud, the role of punctuation in contemporary haiku, and white space.

Rivers have always carried stories. In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we follow their winding course through a carefully curated collection of contemporary haiku and senryū, alongside classic poems that continue to inspire writers today.

These tiny poems explore rivers as places of connection and separation, memory and movement, peace and conflict. From quiet birdsong to distant sirens, from bridges that unite to waters that divide, each haiku offers a fresh perspective on one of poetry's oldest and richest images.

Featured poets:

Johnny Moran

Kim Klugh

Melissa D...

In the final episode of this three-part series on noun poetry, Patricia reads a wonderful collection of listener poems, inspired by the nouns. This episode examines how carefully chosen images can evoke emotion without relying on explanation or abstract language.

With practical analysis and inspiring examples, this episode offers valuable insights for anyone looking to write stronger haiku, senryū and short-form poetry.

Whether you're a seasoned poet or just beginning your haiku journey, you'll come away with a deeper appreciation of the power of images, the importance of observation and the quiet magic that happens w...

Can a haiku be lyrical without relying on verbs? Can a handful of carefully chosen nouns carry all the emotional weight a poem needs?

In this second episode exploring the poetry of nouns, Patricia examines how concrete images create resonance, rhythm and lyricism in haiku and senryū. Drawing on poems by:

Alan Summers

Radostina Dragostinova

Hifsa Ashraf

Laura Driscoll

Sharon Lynne Yee

Mark Gilbert

Paul m

Christopher Peys

Máire Morrissey-Cummins

Lovette Carter

Katie Montagna

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we explore why haiku has often been described as "the poetry of the noun" and ask whether removing verbs and limiting adjectives can make a poem even more powerful.

Through close readings of haiku by John Wills, Elizabeth Searle Lamb, Charles Rossiter, Noel King, Choshi, Anne Curran, and Bisshie, we discover how concrete nouns create atmosphere, emotion and meaning without explanation. We look at Edward Hirsch's idea of the "arrested moment" and Michael Dylan Welch's advice to write not about your feelings, but about what caused them.

...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, Patricia shares a fresh collection of haiku and senryu from Poetry Pea’s much-loved Flashku submissions — a spontaneous 24-hour poetry challenge open to poets on the Poetry Pea mailing list.

Featuring poems by Nalini Shetty, Robert Witmer, Sébastien Revon, Emil Karla, Steve Bahr, Katie Montagna, Deborah A Bennett, Samo Kreutz, Cynthia Anderson, Sara Winteridge, John Hare, Mark Forrester, Robin Rich, Tony Williams, Vaishnavi Ramaswamy and Elliot Diamond

Along the way there’s a heartfelt apology to Ralph Matthews for previously misspelling his name in the journal — now happi...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we share the chosen poems from April’s Poetry Pea Video Prompt, beautifully curated by Lakshmi Iyer.

Inspired by pink skies, cricket song, twilight gardens, and fleeting moments of light, these poems explore the quiet beauty of the natural world through haiku and short-form poetry.

Featuring poems by Marion Clarke, Ralph Mathews, Kerry J Heckman, Melissa Dennison, Vaishnavi Ramaswamy, Anne Curran, Kendall Oei, Jonathan Blakeslee, Hifsa Ashraf, Kim Klugh, Tom Bierovic, Veronica Tucker, Jennifer L. Black, Tony Williams, and more.

We also include a special se...

In this final episode of Poetry Pea’s series on lyricism in haiku and senryū, Patricia explores contemporary poems that sing—haiku and senryū rich in musicality, emotional resonance, and soaring beauty.

With recommendations and insights from some poetry friends, we journey through lyrical work from some of today’s finest poets, asking what makes a haiku truly resonate. Is it sound, rhythm, imagery—or something harder to define? Do we come up with the answer?

From birdsong and flowing rivers to moonlight, frost and bending grass, this episode celebrates poems that move us deeply without se...

This episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast continues an exploration of lyrical haiku and senryū in the English language, with a focus on work written before the year 2000. What makes a haiku “lyrical”? Not overblown emotion or elaborate language, but a quieter musicality—rhythm, emotional restraint, and an image that’s allowed to resonate.

This episode offers a thoughtful introduction to earlier contemporary haiku, setting the stage for a later look at more recent voices, in the next episode, do please join us.

If you’re interested in poetry that values subtlety, attention, and the music of th...

This week on The Poetry Peacast, we drift into a river-inspired collection of haiku and senryu from our March video prompt. While Patricia is (technically) in Zürich, today’s episode is carried by the warm currents of South Africa, where the original footage was filmed during a memorable family trip.

The poems featured here have been carefully edited and curated by Johnny Moran—thank you, Johnny—and capture a range of voices responding to water, movement, and the quiet details that make haiku and senryu so powerful.

Congratulations to the poets whose work is include...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we continue our exploration of lyrical poetry with a journey into the work of the Japanese haiku masters. From Bashō and Buson to Issa and Shiki, and their contemporaries, we listen to classic haiku in translation and consider how sound, rhythm and imagery carry emotional resonance across centuries.

Following last week’s episode on the eighteenth-century female poet, Chyio-ni, today we turn to the male masters and their friends and contemporaries. These poems span stillness, seasonal awareness, humour, melancholy and the fleeting beauty at the heart of haiku. Expect frog...

In this episode of Poetry Pea, I explore the haiku of Chiyo-ni, the 18th-century Japanese poet and Buddhist nun whose lyrical voice is often overlooked when we talk about the great haiku masters. While Bashō, Buson, Shiki and Issa are regularly discussed, Chiyo-ni’s work often takes a back seat.

Prompted by recent conversations about the perceived lack of lyrical poetry in modern haiku, I look at what “lyrical” might mean in the context of haiku. For me, lyrical poetry creates an emotional connection without sentimentality, often supported by musicality, rhythm and the spoken quality...

In this special Poetry Pea episode, we celebrate impending close of our haibun submissions period with a curated selection of haibun readings. New to haibun? Don’t worry — helpful links in the show notes will guide you through this beautifully blended form of prose and haiku.

All the pieces in this episode share something in common… but will you spot what it is?

Answers in the shownotes.

We also thank Johnny Moran for editing March’s video prompt and welcome Lakshmi Iyer, our guest editor for April. Be sure to submit your poems in the c...

Step into a listening space shaped by small poems and quiet attention.

This weekly podcast brings together contemporary haiku from voices around the world. Each of our episodes features carefully selected poems, and thoughtful readings.

From murmuration skies to winter dusk, from the hush of birdsong to the swell of the everyday, we explore the moments that might otherwise pass unnoticed — and give them room to resonate.

✨ How to take part:

Respond to our video prompts on YouTube, submit your haibun via our website, and join a growing international community of poet...

Settle in for another episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, where this time there’s no set theme—yes, maybe it 's a bit trickier for you… but as they say, if it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth doing.

In this episode, you’ll hear a wonderful selection of contemporary haiku and senryu , all submitted without the safety net of a prompt. Our judges—one familiar voice and two brand-new to the podcast—have read the poems anonymously and selected their nominations, decided on a Judges’ Choice and Honourable Mention. You’ll hear their thoughts during the show, w...

In this episode of the Poetry Peacast, we bring our current exploration of one-line haiku to a halt for now.

After three episodes and a number of thoughtful questions, I reflect on what the form offers, where it challenges us, and where I find myself—at least for now. There is, of course, more to be said, and the conversation remains open, particularly as listeners continue to share their own insights and experiences.

I’ll also be following this series with a short essay drawing together ideas from all three episodes.

Over the comi...

This week on the Poetry Pea Podcast there’s a slight change of plan.

Part three of the one-line haiku series isn’t quite ready yet. After posing several questions at the end of part two, I realised I needed a little more time to sit with them. My head is currently full of ideas, possibilities and half-formed thoughts, and rather than rush things, I want to give those questions the attention they deserve.

So, while I continue wrestling with the mysteries of the one-line haiku, I thought I’d share something special with you.

I...

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we continue our deep dive into the art of the one line haiku and explore five powerful techniques for writing compelling haiku and senryū in English.

If you’ve been experimenting with one line poems and wondering how they work — or whether they work at all — this episode is for you.

We explore five essential techniques for writing strong one line haiku:

• Speed – creating breathless momentum

• Circular structure – poems that can be read in multiple directions

• Truncated form – leaving deliberate space for the reader’s im...

In this episode of The Poetry Pea Podcast, we begin an in-depth exploration of one line haiku and senryū in English. What makes a one line haiku work? Is it simply a haiku written without line breaks, or is there something more subtle happening with rhythm, pause and flow?

Through close readings of poems by Michael Segers, John Wills, Alvin Cruz, Elizabeth Searle Lamb, Kala Ramesh, Tess Sherman, Scott Wiggerman, martin gottlieb cohen and even Allen Ginsberg, we examine how the single line changes pacing, meaning and impact.

We also begin asking some bigger questions a...

Monster trucks meet haiku.

In this adrenaline-charged episode of Poetry Pea,I share original haiku and senryu inspired by a thrilling monster truck video, captured by Renee Schaffer and curated by Allyson Whipple. Huge thanks to both for fuelling this creative ride.

Expect short-form poetry that explores power, spectacle, humour and the poetry of roaring engines and flying mud — all in just three lines.

Every poem featured will appear in the first Poetry Pea Journal of the year, celebrating contemporary haiku and senryu from our international poetry community.

Love modern haiku? En...

A podcast about haiku and short poetry from around the world, particularly early Spanish haikuesque poetry of José Juan Tablada, but I'll also explore Japanese haiku, early Western haiku, translation, poetic form, and contemporary practice.

This episode offers close readings, literary context, and thoughts, uncovering forgotten poems, global influences, and the ways haiku has travelled across languages and cultures. Topics include imagist poetry, one-line poems, haiku history, and writing practice.

Ideal for poets, writers, readers, and anyone interested in haiku, poetry podcasts, short poems, and creative writing.

New episodes released regularly.

K...

In this special episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, host Patricia announces the winners of the Golden Pea Awards 2025, celebrating the very best haiku, senryū, tanka and haibun published by Poetry Pea this year.

Recorded from her studio in Switzerland, Patricia shares a carefully curated selection of award-winning poems, chosen for their craft, originality and emotional impact. These standout pieces appear in The Golden Pea Anthology, the first collection to bring Poetry Pea’s finest poems together.

Featuring luminous haiku, sharp-eyed senryū, resonant tanka and ambitious haibun, this episode is both a celebration of outstanding poet...

Urban Haiku Podcast | More City Life in Short Poetry

Step into the streets, gyms, roads, and temples of contemporary poetry with this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, dedicated to urban haiku and senryū. In this instalment of the Urban Haiku series, we continue to explore how modern city life finds expression through short-form poetry—capturing fleeting moments, human interactions, and everyday urban scenes in just a few carefully chosen words.

Featuring unpublished and published urban haiku and senryū submitted by members of the Poetry Pea community, this episode offers listeners the chance to hear fres...

Welcome to The Poetry Peacast, where small poems loom large and every word earns its keep.

In this episode, you’ll hear poetry from the long list of Poetry Pea’s brand-new awards — the Golden Pea Awards. These are poems that came tantalisingly close to the top: work that impressed, delighted, and lingered, but ultimately didn’t quite make it into the final, glittering handful of Golden Peas. 

Expect exceptional haiku, senryū, tanka and haibun from across the Poetry Pea community, read with care and accompanied by an appreciation of effort, craft, and understatement. This is a celeb...

Urban haiku and senryū inspired by modern city life, with poems, and submission calls.

Show notes

poets featured today:

m shane pruett, Haiku Pea Podcast, S3E22

Eric W Amann[i] William J Higgenson with Penny Harter,”The Haiku Handbook.” Kodansha International, 1985, p87

Barbara Tate, THF City Sidewalk, taste

Michael Dylan Welch, from Graceguts

Mizuho, Urban Ginko V – Nakazaki-cho, Osaka July 10th 2023

Akihiko, Urban Ginko V – Nakazaki-cho, Osaka July 10th 2023

Richard Wright, Haiku: This Other World, Arcade Publishing, New York, NY, 1998

Laks...

The Poetry Pea Podcast is a contemporary poetry podcast featuring original poetry, poetry prompts, video poetry prompts, and poetry readings from poets around the world.

In this episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we open Season Nine with original contemporary poetry written in response to our final video poetry prompt of 2025, curated by poet Kathleen Tice. This poetry podcast showcases a wide range of poetic voices and styles, demonstrating how a single poetry prompt can inspire many different poems.

You’ll also hear updates about the Poetry Pea community, the latest poetry prompt on YouTube, an...

In this special episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, host Patricia welcomes celebrated Canadian poet Reid Hepworth for a stunning reading from her collection Loss Is a River. Praised for its emotional depth and lyrical power, Hepworth’s work explores love, loss, memory, and the quiet moments that shape our lives.

Patricia also shares an important correction and heartfelt apology to poets Mona Bedi and Marylyn Burridge, plus news about the upcoming Christmas break, the bumper Season Nine, and teases Poetry Pea Press developments planned for 2026.

Listeners will find links to Reid Hepworth’s books, Poet...

show notes

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.

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 Poet...

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 al...