Poem Types: Haiku

A Haiku is a Japanese poem that consists of seventeen syllables in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world.

Famous Poets

Matsuo Bashō is a famous haiku poet born in 1644. He is the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan. During his lifetime Bashō was recognised for his work in the collaborative haikai no renga form, however, centuries later in modern days, he is the greatest master of haiku and is internationally renowned.

An example of one of his many poems is:

Another great haiku poet is Shuson Kato, born in Toyko in 1905. Before he became a famous poet, Shosun actually hated the restricting format of haiku. Instead, he was more interested in the 31 syllable format of tanka. It wasn’t until Shosun met Shuoshi Mizuhara, a doctor and highly acclaimed haiku poet, that he began to fully embrace this unique form of poetry. One of his most noted haiku poems is:

Mibbian Poems

Bare Arms by sweater season is a simple poem that can be interpreted in many different ways. This poem, though only 3 short sentences long, is beautifully written and filled with a strong sense of emotion.

Routine by infernalminds is another poem that is short and simple, yet relatable to anyone and everyone. It is a poem about going through the mundane routine everyone experiences at one point or another in their lifetimes. It’s a simply well thought-out poem.

Although Haiku poetry may seem easy as it only consists of three short lines of seventeen syllables, for this reason it can also be incredibly challeging. Despite this, when correctly, haiku's can be beautiful and thought-provoking as an art form.

Special thanks to house of cards and Fandango for editing.