JapandyPants: June 2007

The Art of Haiku

The haiku form was developed in Japan. It tells a story or draws a mental picture of something that happens in nature. Many descriptive words are used in haiku. The great Japanese master of haiku was Matsuo Basho (1644-1694). The name Basho means “banana tree” and was adopted by the poet when he moved into a hut located next to a banana tree. Haiku consists of 17 syllables and usually three lines that do not rhyme. There are five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. Each haiku must contain a kigo, or season word, that indicates the season in which the haiku is set. For example, cherry blossoms indicate spring, snow indicates winter, and mosquitoes indicate summer, but the season word isn’t always obvious. The poem contains a “cutting” or division between contrasting parts. In English, the first or second line usually ends with a colon or long dash to indicate this cutting. In writing haiku, contemplate nature and the present moment.