Having read, written and talked Japanese poetry for a good many years, I have reached the conclusion that (a) English provides ample resources for seventeen syllable haiku without dragging in accentual measure, and (b) there's no use in arguing about it. Write anything you like any way you like, but pray don't call it haiku unless it respects the time-honored Japanese criteria.
Lee, you refer to 17 "on." I assume you don't mean "on"(Chinese reading) but "oto" since "kun" (Japanese) syllables or "onsetsu" are allowed as well.
G/W
[This message has been edited by Golias (edited May 02, 2004).]
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