Poetry Pea - haiku and other English Language Japanese short forms

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 wid...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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, a...

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 Jo...

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, Ma...

This episode of the Poetry PeaPodcast is Part One of a series on senryū . A form of Japanese short poetry We 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...

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 hea...

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...

✨ 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...

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 poetry Examples from the Japanese, translated...

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 t...

✨ 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 matter His core ideal of ushin (“conviction of feeling”)  The four fundamental styles every poet should try...

Pack your poetic passport — this week, the Poetry Pea Podcast is off to Borneo ! Our theme? Elephants in haiku and senryu , inspired by Borneo’s rare and gentle pygmy elephants . In this episode: 🐘 Haiku & senryu from Linda Ludwig’s last video prompt editorship 📖 Treasures from past Poetry Pea Journals 🌿 Elephant-themed poems from other talented writers 🌏 Five fascinating facts about Borne...

Today we’re diving into technique. But wait! Don’t run for the hills just yet, or even the mountains…. This isn’t a dry lecture—we’re doing technique the Poetry Pea way : through the lens of rich, inspirational poetry. And we’re in for a real treat today because we’re in the company of one of the greats: John Wills . A master of the short form, Wills was an American poet who lived from 1921 to 199...

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, smi...

In this very special episode of the Poetry Pea Podcast, we bring you our first ever live salon event — and it's all about Zōka, the generative force behind haiku and nature itself. Featuring readings from the anthology One Thread and a conversation with its editor, Janice Doppler, this gathering celebrates the power of becoming, creativity, and poetic presence. Hosted by Patricia, with guest p...

What happens when alphorns echo through the streets of Zürich? They inspire short form poetry from around the world — and this week’s episode features some of the best! These original haiku and senryū were written in response to June’s Video Prompt — a monthly moment of creativity on our YouTube channel. ✍️✨ Featuring voices like: 🖋️ Daniela Misso 🖋️ Lakshmi Iyer 🖋️ Rupa Anand 🖋️ Sara Winteridge...

🐛🕷️ Creepy Crawlies Have Entered the Chat… This week on the Poetry Peacast , we’re getting under your skin — in the best possible way — with a fresh collection of haiku and short form poetry inspired by the little creatures that wriggle, buzz, crawl, and fly. 🦋 Featuring poems from Poetry Pea Journals past (and a few haiku legends), this episode explores beauty in the overlooked — from dragonfli...

What does healing sound like in haiku? This week, poet Julie Bloss Kelsey joins me to read from her deeply moving collection, Grasping the Fading Light: A Journey Through PTSD — winner of the 2021 International Women’s Haiku Contest. Her work brings vulnerability, strength, and beauty to the page. Together we explore grief, trauma, recovery, and resilience — through the gentle force of haiku, senr...

An episode of haiku poetry presented by Liam Maguire on the topic of creepy crawlies. Honestly he does a brilliant job. He's inspired me to write and I hope he'll inspire you to write too. Check out the submission diary. You can read the slides on the YouTube version or check them our at Buy Me A Coffee , where you can support the work of the podcast in many ways. Show notes

Without zoka, there is no haiku… Zoka — the creative, the generative force that animates the universe — is more than a concept. It's the heartbeat of haiku. In this week’s Poetry Pea Podcast, I reflect on Janice Doppler’s brilliant essay, “Following Bashō, Following Zoka,” and the powerful conversations it’s sparked within our community. I talk about my own grappling with the idea — from my st...