Dublin Writers' Workshop: Haiku Spirit: What is Haiku?

What is Haiku?

The haiku is a short non-rhyming form of poetry which originated in Japan. It stems from the Zen Buddhist tradition in which depth of feeling is combined with detachment and karumi, or lightness.

The main proponent of the form was Basho (1644-1694) who is still regarded by many as the premier haiku-ist. Other prominant Haiku poets include Buson, Shiki and Issa.

In the English language equivalent, the form usually consists of seventeen syllables (although there can be less, since Japanese is a phonetic language).
The poem is generally arranged in three lines, divided into 5-7-5.
However, this rule can also be broken! There are other variations on the form, including haiku written by two or more poets (tanka and renga).

Haiku are often, but not exclusively, inspired by some aspect of nature. The challenge is for the writer to experience something sensual in an intense way (a "haiku moment") and to communicate the feeling that this evokes in a small number of words.
Mere observations or thoughts are not enough, the poem must be able to present the reader with the emotion evoked by the moment of epiphany.

To View some examples of classic Haiku, go to our Classics Page.