What is Haiku?

Haiku – a form of Japanese poetry, the late 19th century revision by Masaoka Shiki of the older hokku, the opening verse of a linked verse form, haikai no renga. The traditional hokku consisted of a pattern of approximately 5, 7, and 5 onji, phonetic units which only partially correspond to syllables in English. It also contains a special season word (kigo) or reference to the natural world, representative of the season in which the haiku is set.

Hokku usually combine two different phrases, with a distinct grammatical break (kireji) usually at the end of either the first five or second seven onji. These elements of the older hokku are considered by many to be essential to haiku as well, although they are not always included by modern writers of Japanese "free-form haiku" and of non-Japanese haiku. (Resource: Wikipedia)

What is Haiku today?

Modern Western haiku may be more flexible and may be described as:

Haiku - a short, unrhymed, one breath poem of Japanese origin consisting of 17 syllables or fewer written in three lines or fewer with two images separated by a pause in juxtaposition relating nature to human nature.

For quick reference, haiku is:

• contains 17 syllables or fewer
• written in three lines or fewer
• it is untitled
• it is unrhymed
• it can be read in one breath
• has two images in juxtaposition
• contains concrete images
• contains two images separated by a pause
• links nature with human nature
• often includes a season word or "kigo"
• contains no similes

Vocabulary

• haibun - - is a combination of brief prose and haiku. The prose records a scene, or a special moment, in a highly descriptive manner. The accompanying haiku has either a direct or subtle relation with the prose, but it encompasses the gist of the recorded experience. The contrasting combination of prose and haiku provides the reader with more powerful insight from what might have been possible from either one separately. It is important not to say anything directly, but to paint a picture of the moment and let the reader use his or her imagination to immerse in the experience of the writer. (Excerpted from Wikipedia)
• haiga a traditional Japanese art form composed of brush painting and haiku poetry. Basically, haiga is a picture and a haiku.
• haiku master – a person respected and honored for his/her gift, talent, study and practice of haiku writing. Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki are famous haiku masters.
• haiku moment – a specific place in time when you observe, feel, smell or taste something that inspires you to write a haiku. Haiku contain concrete images, the here and now, and are written in the moment while you are experiencing the moment.

• haiku walk or ginko – taking a walk for the specific purpose of writing haiku. Oftentimes, haiku walks are done as a group. The group meets at a central location, usually selected for it’s beauty, dispersers for an agreed upon time, walk around the location writing haiku and then met back at a central location to read and share the poems the members of the group have written.
• kigo – (season word) are words or phrases that are generally associated with a particular season.
• renga or renku – a form of Japanese poetry known for its linked verse or chain of verses.
• senyru – a short poem similar to haiku except that it relates mostly to human nature and it is humorous or satirical.
• tanka – an older form of Japanese poetry than haiku consisting of five units usually with a 5-7-5/ 7-7 pattern.

Resource: Wikipedia

For more information and indepth definitions of haiku and related terms, please visit the Haiku Society of America's Definitions page on their website at: http://www.hsa-haiku.org/HSA_Definitions_2004.html