Hold the Darkness Close: Theopoetic Haiku and Senryu Poetry

Hold the Darkness Close - A theopoetic haiku or senryu is a fusion of poetry and spirituality, using the traditional 5-7-5 haiku form to explore human experiences, divine insights, and the connection between the sacred and everyday life. Its simplicity distills complex emotions into brief, evocative lines that resonate deeply. While haiku traditionally focuses on nature and seasons, senryu, a related form, emphasizes human nature, humor, and irony. Both haiku and theopoetics, though distinct, share a profound ability to evoke the divine and human experience through minimal yet powerful language, embracing paradoxes of life and faith. Both forms invite the reader to see beyond the surface of words and into the deeper realities they point toward, whether through meditative reflection or humor.