HaikuPoems that turn daily or well-known situations into brand new experiences
Structure
17 syllables (5/7/5)
Kigo – nature or seasonal word
Satori – moment of enlightenment
Contemporary Examples
alone, on the web, drops of sensitivityembrace an eyelash
- Alexey V. Andeyev
Silence-a strangledTelephone has forgottenThat it should ring
- Michael R. Collings
the morning paperharbinger of good and ill--I step over it
- Dave McCroskey
Examples that have been translated from Japanese and do not obey the “rules”
Right at my feet – And when did you get here,snail?
-Issa
I kill an antAnd realize my three childrenhave been watching.
-Shuson Kato
Night, and the moon!My neighbor, playing on his flute –out of tune!
- Kojo
After killinga spider, how lonely I feelin the cold of night!
- Masaoka Shiki
For love and for hateI swat a fly and offer it To an ant.
- Masaoka Shiki
The summer river:although there is a bridge, my horsegoes through the water.
- Masaoka Shiki
Glass balls and glowing lights.Dead tree in living room.Killed to honor birth.
- Ron Loeffler
Anonymous Student Samples
Hands speckled with cutsFlorist, cut my thorny roseMake it safe for touch
Petals like the sunWhy name it a sunflowerThe sun is not brown
Lemonade for saleA car in the horizonContinued driving
The cold keeps us inforces us to be familyBut is that so sad?
colored leaves do fall,and wash away the season,along with our past.
Time for renewalthe flowers will grow alongwith our troubled hearts
Read more about haiku on pages 640-643 in the old purple book.
Complete the Creative Writing exercise at the bottom of page 643.
