Analysis of Some WHR senryu: In search of greater understanding of the genre
By Ray Rasmussen
For over two years now, WHR Senryu Editor ST has selected senryu in the WHR Senryu section. In the WHR introduction to the senryu selections, ST writes the following: We started our “senryu” journey without any preconceptions or received definitions, except for two characteristics, (a) our genre are short in form, and (b) they are about humour.” … “Our expectations are that by writing an enormous amount of … “senryu” and discussing them, we may reach a new definition that will enable us to call the genre, without any hesitation, senryu. The following works are promising in this endeavour. [excerpts from Senryu Section, WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 1.
In the interest of
securing a better definition of ‘senryu’ for
myself, I’ve done the following analysis of some of ST’s selections
which I’d like to share for discussion. Note that I’ve selected
a subset of ST’s selections which had the following characteristics:
A. I thought I understood them
B. They appealed to my own sense of irony, humour, the human condition, etc.
I did not choose selections to analyze that I didn’t understand. I did
not find all of ST’s selections humourous, which is to be expected, and
did not select primarily on the basis on ‘humour’. I didn't classify
about half of ST's selections.
I don’t mean to suggest that my analysis is correct or that these categories
are mutually exclusive or that they’re exhaustive of the genre. They
were what came to mind off the top. In some cases, I wanted to put one senryu
into two or more
categories.
Ray
1. Reflections/Observations of fickle or unusual or hypocritical or silliness
of human behaviour
Chad...
such a nice name
until Florida voted
Debra Woolard Bender
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 1
the famine hand-out queue
nobody asks
" traces of peanuts?"
Anna Tambour
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 1
while the booze flows,
every one loves
everyone else
Michael McClintock
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 1
doll house fair
a stall owner chases
children away
Maria Steyn
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 1
before the battle --
each side to its god
praying for victory
Nancy Stewart Smith
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 1
winter sales
buying clothes
that don't fit
Sue Mill
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 1
computer addict,
my husband talks all night
to the back of my head
D. W. Bender
WHR, Vol. 3, Issue
12.
Word Play – using words in an unusual
[and perhaps technically incorrect] way or using a circumstance in an usual
way
First spring warmth;
suddenly neighbours
sprout in the gardens
Florence Vilen
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 1
Garden Society lady,
half a century ago
maybe a blushing rose
Florence Vilén
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 2
candles flicker--
watching him break the bread,
she spills the wine
Billie Wilson
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 2
Tribune building --
doves' droppings in
black and white
ito (Juanito Escareal)
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 2
January 2nd
all the office plants
gone limp
Linda Robeck
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 3
dinner alone
one grain of rice between me
and emptiness
Rob Scott
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 3
spring wedding
bulging bride
April fools
Nancy Stewart Smith
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 3
love letter--
she reads again the words
between the lines
Billie Wilson
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 1
six o'clock news
history repeats itself
at nine
Debra Woolard Bender
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 1
so politically correct
she hates all
the right people
Lynne A Steel
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 2
inoculated
for computer viruses
he catches the flu
Deborah P. Kolodji
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 2
falling in love
winter's snowflakes
melt in seconds
Theolyn Brock
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 3
same-sex wedding--
both of my friends
wearing tuxedos
Michael Meyerhofer
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 3
3. Slapstick Humour Derived from Human Behaviour [Chaplinesque Humour] or strange
situations
wishing well
a beggar falls over
reaching for quarters
Victor P. Gendrano
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 2
punctuating
the preacher's message-
thunderbursts
Christopher Patchel
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 3
doctors appointment
the artificial flowers
look sick
Carmel Lively
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 2
4. Uncharacteristic Behaviour of particular groups
psychiatrists' dinner
they all dance wildly with
the belly dancers
Bruce Ross
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 2
this year --
the income tax man
stays for pot roast
an'ya
WHR, Vol. 1, Issue 2
5. Inventive or Creative Fantasy or Clever Juxtaposition
another sake --
the cranes on the porcelain
start to fly
Hortensia Anderson
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 1
divorce papers
blue sheets dance
on the clothes line
Carmel C. Lively
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 3
6. Reflections on Nature/Animals in the Issa mode
first gnats,
as if
they don't have enough company
join me on my walk
Debra Woolard Bender
WHR, Vol. 2, Issue 2