Understand Haiku Structure
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Know the sound structure of 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.[1]
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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-onJapanese poem, straying
from the concept that Haiku are meant to distill an image using few sounds. Although using 5-75 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. [2] Take, for example, this haiku by American novelist
Jack Kerouac:
 Snow in my shoe
Abandoned
Sparrow's nest
2. 2
Use Haiku to juxtapose two ideas. The Japanese word kiru, which means "cutting," expresses
the notion that Haiku should always contain two juxtaposed ideas. The two parts are
grammatically independent, and they are usually imagistically distinct as well.
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Japanese haiku are commonly written on one straight line, with juxtaposed ideas separated by
a kireji, or cutting word, that helps define the ideas in relation to each other. The kireji usually
appears at the end of one of the sound phrases. There is no direct English translation of the kireji,
so it is often translated as a dash. Note the two separate ideas in this Japanese haiku by Bashō:
 how cool the feeling of a wall against the feet — siesta
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English haiku are most often written as three lines. The juxtaposed ideas (of which there should
only be two) are "cut" by a line break, punctuation, or simply a space. This poem is by American
poet Lee Gurga:[3]
 fresh scent—
the labrador's muzzle
deeper into snow
In either case, the idea is to create a leap between the two parts, and to heighten the meaning of
the poem by bringing about what has been called an "internal comparison." Creating this twopart structure effectively can be the hardest part of writing a haiku, because it can be very
difficult to avoid too obvious a connection between the two parts, yet also avoid too great a
distance between them.
Choose a Haiku Subject
1. 1
Distill a poignant experience. Haiku is traditionally focused on details of one's environment
that relate to the human condition. Think of a haiku as a meditation of sorts that conveys an
objective image or feeling without employing subjective judgment and analysis. When you see
or notice something that makes you want to say to others, "Look at that," the experience may
well be suitable for a haiku.
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Japanese poets traditionally used haiku to capture and distill a fleeting natural image, such as a
frog jumping into a pond, rain falling onto leaves, or a flower bending in the wind. Many people
go for walks just to find new inspiration for their poetry, known in Japan as ginkgo walks.
Contemporary haiku may stray from nature as a subject. Urban environments, emotions,
relationships and even humorous topics may be haiku subjects.
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Include a seasonal reference.[4] A reference to the season or changing of the seasons, referred to
in Japanese as kigo, is an essential element of haiku. The reference may be obvious, as in using a
word like "spring" or "autumn" to indicate the season, or it might be subtler. For example,
mentioning wisteria, which flower during the summer, can act as less obvious reference. Note
the kigo in this poem by Fukuda Chiyo-ni:
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morning glory!
the well bucket-entangled,
I ask for water
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Create a subject shift. In keeping with the idea that haiku should contain two juxtaposed ideas,
shift the perspective on your chosen subject so that your poem has two parts. For example, you
could focus on the detail of an ant crawling on a log, then juxtapose that image with an
expansive view of the whole forest, or the season the ant is currently inhabiting. The
juxtaposition gives the poem a deeper metaphorical meaning than it would have if it were a
simple, single-planed description. Take this poem by Richard Wright:
o Whitecaps on the bay:
A broken signboard banging
In the April wind.
Use Sensory Language
1. 1
Describe the details. Haiku are comprised of details observed by the five senses. The poet
witnesses an event and uses words to compress that experience so others may understand it in
some way. Once you have chosen a subject for your haiku, think about what details you want to
describe. Call the subject to mind and explore these questions:
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What did you notice about the subject? What colors, textures, and contrasts did you observe?
How did the subject sound? What was the tenor and volume of the event that took place?
Did it have a smell, or a taste? How can you accurately describe the way it felt?
2. 2
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Show, don't tell. Haiku are about moments of objective experience, not subjective interpretation
or analysis of those events. It's important to show the reader something true about the moment's
existence, rather than telling the reader what emotions it conjured in you.[5] Let the reader feel his
or her own emotions in reaction to the image.
Use understated, subtle imagery. For instance, instead of saying it's summer, focus on the slant of
the sun or the heavy air.
Don't use cliches. Lines that readers recognize, such as "dark, stormy night," tend to lose their
power over time. Think through the image you want to describe and use inventive, original
language to convey meaning. This doesn't mean you should use a thesaurus to find words that
aren't commonly used; rather, simply write about what you saw and want to express in the truest
language you know.
Become a Haiku Writer
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Be inspired. In the tradition of the great haiku poets, go outside for inspiration. Take a walk and
tune in to your surroundings. Which details in your environment speak to you? What makes them
stand out?
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Carry a notebook to write down lines as they come to you. You never know when the sight of a
stone in a stream, a rat skipping over subway tracks, or a cap of clouds over hills in the distance
might inspire you to write a haiku.
Read other haiku writers. The beauty and simplicity of the haiku form has inspired thousands of
writers in many different languages. Reading other haiku can help spur your own imagination
into motion.
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Practice. Like any other art, haiku takes practice. Bashō, who is considered to be the greatest
haiku poet of all time, said that each haiku should be a thousand times on the tongue. Draft and
redraft every poem until the meaning is perfectly expressed. Remember that you don't have to
adhere to the 5-7-5 syllable pattern, and that a true literary haiku includes a kigo, a two-part
juxtapositional structure, and primarily objective sensory imagery.
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.
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.
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