Understanding Haiku

           

Japanese haiku traditionally consist of 17 on, or sounds, divided into three phrases: 

5 sounds, 7 sounds, and 5 sounds. English poets interpreted on as syllables. Haiku poetry has evolved over time, and most poets no longer adhere to this structure, in either Japanese or English; modern haiku may have more than 17 sounds or as few as one.

            English syllables vary greatly in length, while Japanese on are uniformly short. For this reason, a 17-syllable English poem can be much longer than a traditional 17-on Japanese poem, straying from the concept that haiku are meant to distill an image using few sounds. Although using 5-7-5 is no longer considered to be the rule for haiku in English, it is still often taught that way to children in school.

            When you're deciding how many sounds or syllables to use in your haiku, refer to the Japanese idea that the haiku should be able to be expressed in one breath. In English, that usually means the poem will be 10 to 14 syllables long. 

Sample Nature Haiku

• An afternoon breeze
  expels cold air, along with
  the fallen brown leaves.

• Cherry blossoms bloom,
  softly falling from the tree,
  explode into night.

• The warmth on my skin.
  Fire falls beneath the trees.
  I see the sun set.

• Summer here again.
  Music plays sweetly, drifting.
  And life is renewed.

• A winter blanket
  covers the Earth in repose
  but only a dream

• An ocean voyage.
  As waves break over the bow,
  the sea welcomes me.

Sample Love Haiku

• Refreshing and cool,
  love is a sweet summer rain
  that washes the world.

• Love is like winter
  Warm breaths thaw cold hearts until
  one day the spring comes

• A bird flies sweetly
  on paper wings. Telling all
  of my love for you.

• Every day I will
  love you more than you could know.
  We are here as one.

• The softest whisper
  beckons me closer to you.
  I love you, dearest.

• Vast as a mountain,
  my love for you shines through for
  all the world to see.

Sample Funny Haiku

• One shark said to the
  other when eating a clown
  fish: this tastes funny.

• The bartender said
  to the neutron, “For you, sir,
  there will be no charge.”

• A question for you:
  Where does Washington keep his 
  armies? His sleevies.

• An octopus went
  off to war. It’s a good thing
  that he was well-armed.

• A wise man once asked,
  “Why, pray tell, is the sand wet?”
  Because the sea weed.

• The best way to carve
  wood is extremely slowly,
  whittle by whittle.