Haiku

A haiku is a very short poem of three lines, often written in English as five, seven and five syllables, that sets one concrete moment beside a second image and leaves the connection to the reader.

Here is one, written for this page.

Frost on the bus stop. A glove left on the railing points toward the road.

Three lines, a count of five, seven and five, and one scene. Nothing in it says the owner was in a hurry or that winter has arrived. The reader supplies that.

What the form asks for

• One moment. A haiku records a single observation, not a summary of a day.
• Two images. The usual structure sets two things side by side, here the frost and the glove, and lets the gap between them carry the feeling.
• A cut. Japanese haiku use a cutting word that creates a pause. In English that pause is often a line break or a mark of punctuation.
• A season, traditionally. The season word is shorthand for a whole mood.

The form was refined by Matsuo Basho in the seventeenth century, and later poets such as Issa and Shiki shaped what English readers now expect.

Why it matters to a writer or editor

A haiku is a workout in show, don't tell. There is no room to state a feeling, so every word has to be a concrete detail. Many prose writers use it as a warm-up for exactly that reason.

When editing one, count the syllables only after you have checked the image. A poem that hits 5-7-5 and says nothing has failed, and one that runs a syllable short and lands cleanly has not.

Common mistakes

• Using the form for a clever remark instead of an observation.
• Padding the count with filler words such as "so" or "very".
• Explaining the image in the last line.

Read an example

Read an example: a daily haiku on Bossfeed, or try the daily haiku game.

Frequently asked questions

Does a haiku have to be 5-7-5?

In English the 5-7-5 count is a common guide rather than a rule. Japanese haiku count sound units, which are shorter than English syllables, so many English poets write fewer than seventeen syllables to match the original's brevity.

What is a kigo?

A kigo is a season word, such as 'frost' or 'cicada', that places a haiku in a time of year without naming the season. Traditional Japanese haiku include one.

What is the difference between a haiku and a senryu?

Both use the same short form. A haiku usually looks at nature or a season, while a senryu looks at human behaviour, often with a light, wry tone.