What Is Haiku?

Haiku is a type of short (usually 17 syllables) poetry.

Usually the poem has two contrasting images (or smells, sounds, or other senses).

The mind forms a third image by putting together the two images.

Some examples:

furuike ya kawazu tobikomu mizu no oto

an old pond:

a frog jumps in water

the sound 

— Basho

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“Say, Mr. Beetle,

Are you taking a detour 

Crawling on my knee?”

— Richard Wright 

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After weeks of watching the roof leak 

I fixed it tonight 

by moving a single board 

— Gary Snyder

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A pickup truck was

missing a section in front.

Do some sharks bite trucks?

— Scott Baxter

29 May 2024

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