I have no idea what prompted Sarah Palin's bolt-from-the-blue resignation last Friday. I've heard Letterman, I've heard scandal and I've heard higher political aspirations. All things considered, what can't be read into that refrigerator magnet panegyric she delivered, lauding her maverick self for defying those inevitable dead fish, lame duck pitfalls of the political establishment? The one certainty I have managed to extract for all this is as follows: the muse is back!
The surge of enthused responses to last October's Sarah Palin Haikus was astonishing and energizing. Following the November election, I continued tapping responses to political issues and breaking events. "Politiku," the term I coined, characterizes the genre that is neither haiku nor political commentary but a hybrid of the two.
The Sarah Palin Swan Song Politiku featured writer, Scott Metz, co-chairs the distinguished, Haiku Foundation, and edits, Roadrunner, the quarterly online English-language haiku journal. Earlier this week, Scott's online discussion of Politiku, unintentionally set in motion something of genre elucidating, literary wrestling match regarding the colloquial syllabic structure that I insist Politiku adhere to. The reason for this is that 5-7-5 it levels the playing field of an otherwise prohibitively complex and esoteric genre. Rooted in blogging as much as it is rooted in the English language haiku, Politiku is for writers who may or may not be poets. All that is required is (a) internet access (b) awareness and some knowledge of politics (c) the willingness to communicate their political ideas to the Huffpo readership.
Anyone interested in putting in their seventeen syllables worth is welcome to respond to the bi-monthly submission calls I post on my blog. Although not all Politiku submissions end up on Huffpo, I make an effort to regularly syndicate the topical ones on Twitter (whose 160 character max, btw, lends itself brilliantly to Politiku). In it's third month on Huffpo, Politiku has garnered the support and involvement of some of the most highly lauded writers in the country, as well as from individuals with little to no formal writing background.
Half-a-day before the deadline came another bolt from the blue surprise. Scott emailed me a Politiku. Then another and another; filling my inbox throughout the evening and into the night. The last Politiku arrived moments before the 12:00a.m. deadline. In appreciation of Scott's willingness to delve into the genre he initially resisted, I decided to feature six of his Sarah Palin Swan Song Politiku.
Scott Metz Politiku
the media doll --
did her batteries run out
or just recharging?
the bridge to nowhere --
Palin & Stevens exchange
a couple of winks
scrutinized more so
than any man would have been . . .
she didn't help though
Palin Palin Pa-
lin Palin Palin Palin
Palin Palin Pa-
so much more time now
to shoot moose from whirlybirds
and watch those Ruskies . . .
ah Republicans,
you dress her up, exploit her,
then rip her apart
Peter Orvetti Politiku
The hidden scandal:
An Argentina love nest
With Dave Letterman
Karen Goldner Politiku
Sarah, Sarah... Wow
What will Palin think of next?
Why not go away?
Donald Bassman Politiku
echolailiaech
olailiaecholailia
What was that you said?
Ralph Dannheisser Politiku
Scandal? Speaking tour?
Crusade? Book deal? Run for Prez?
Just fed up? Who knows.
Michael O'Brien Politiku
The narcissus
Only blooms in the springtime
After the deep snow
Jerome Coopersmith Politiku
Scandal to unfold?
Prep for Election Day?
I'd choose Tina Fey.
Susanna Speier Politiku
she really said that?
White House Department of Law
she really said that?