A haiku is a Japanese poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world.
Although James maintains the seventeen syllable 3 line format, his Dark Haiku evokes images of darkness, sadness, despair, hopelessness, the macabre and even horror.
It is not for the faint of heart.
If you are an illustrator, and would be interested in collaborating with James on future projects, drop him an email.
oic.studios@gmail.com
To date James has written 160 dark haiku. Below are some examples. Enjoy!
Recent work (2020-2021)
96. falling, out of love, crawling, into a tight ball, bawling, my eyes out
106. When that soft light dies, I try opening my eyes, nothing but darkness
131. In light and shadow / a smudge on the lens of life / photograph of death
135. If love is a game / play me like a violin / to the bitter end
150. A time for mourning / Niagra Falls from my eyes / inundating me
Older work (2017-2019)
Connecting the Dots:
Connecting the dots / because they look so lonely / story of my life
For the Love of God:
For the love of God / end this darkness, I beg you / I’m yours to destroy
Hurt Me, Beat Me, Please:
Hurt me, beat me, please / in the fetal position of hurt / giving birth to pain
Inside a Black Hole:
Inside a black hole / a planet of pain, painful / galaxy of tears
My Body, Garbage:
My body, garbage / left in the dumpster, to rot / decomposing waste
My Plight of Darkness:
My plight of darkness / sobs racking me like torture / suicide beckons
Something From Nothing:
Something from nothing / mind is void, heart is empty / a wailing absence
Read by James:
Read by Mark Pearce:
Supper of Suffer:
Supper of suffer / feast on the famine of hurt / bury me in dirt
There Is No Shelter:
Hurricane laughter / into the eye of my storm / there is no shelter
Read by James:
Read by Mark Pearce:
A Feeding Frenzy (Read by Mark Pearce):
A feeding frenzy / sharks in the dark, circling me / tear me to pieces
Continue To Sob (Read by Mark Pearce):
Continue to sob / you can not hate the machine / for doing it’s job
The Final Curtain (Read by Mark Pearce):
The final curtain / so why am I still hurting / long after I’m dead
This Darkness In Me (Read by Mark Pearce):
This darkness in me / institutions of the heart / tearing me apart
Under The Blood Moon (Read by Mark Pearce):
Under the blood moon / something wicked this way comes / slithering closer
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