Haiku
Haiku
Ravi Shankar
(Haiku Erasure of Lord Byrons "Lines Inscribed upon a Cup Formed from a Skull")
The writer of the poem Ravi Shankar is the author of Deepening Groove (National Poetry
Review Press, 2011) and the forthcoming What Else Could It Be: Ekphrastics and
Connecticut.
The title Line on a skull significant to poem and its starting as poet says behold the skull which
is meaningful and related to title. Ravi Shankars poem is composed of haiku stanzas. Traditional
haikus follow a standard format. They are three lines, 17 syllables. The first and third lines are
I believe that the theme of this poem is about how life is short (life's little) and how
people should make the most of it (Be of use) before they can't do that anymore.
The mood of this poem is dark and somewhat sad. It is a dark poem because it talks
about death and people's bones. Plus, it is sad. This is because it talks about people dying and
how life is short and it makes people realize that life is actually short. The artist often uses
"My..." or "our..." or "me... so you get the idea that maybe they are going through a dark time
The imagery in this poem is very dark, almost like someone is sitting alone in a dark
The artist uses RHYTHM to empathize or stress to words, "wit" and "shine" in the line
"Where wit shone of shine". I believe the artist did this because the line doesn't directly make
sense; it isn't a statement that can be easily interrupted. The reader has to think about the line and
One of the last poetic devices used in this poem is MOOD. In the line "Be of use." is one
of the only lines in the poem that makes sense without rereading the poem or line and thinking
about it. This sets the mood for me because it is a simple statement, merely three words. Yet, they
are three powerful words when put together. I believe the artist did this on purpose to tie the
Part 2
An ocean voyage.
This haiku is presenting an image in the first part of An ocean voyage. Is the first part of poem
which is presenting an image of haiku with addition of two more contrasting ideas in second part
that mingle with another is about nature and the mesmerizing beauty of waves and ocean. The
syllables pattern is 5-7-5. In its genre, it is lyrical in nature and not lengthy. It praises nature,
natural scenes and abstract ideas. It is subject matter, highly solemn, romantic and serious in its