What makes a haiku poem

A frog jumps into the pond—. Historically, haikus are a derivative of the Japanese Hokku. And within every dewdrop. Though sometimes, the kireji comes at the end of a haiku to give it a sense of closure. Kobayashi Issa , another great Haiku master, writes this stirring poem that places the kireji at the end. Is transferred to another candle—.

Haikus focus on a brief moment in time, juxtaposing two images, and creating a sudden sense of enlightenment. This can be the migration of wildebeest. For a seasonal haiku, you need to center your focus on a single detail about the same.

Apart from that, you also have to name that season in the haiku. Seasonal haikus can be an interesting way of talking about that event that usually fascinates you and happens rarely. Haikus can move beyond the border of nature or seasons to other themes. You can decide to write a poem talking about love or even that person or thing that makes you happy or sad.

For example, you have an interesting pet and you want to write something funny about it, or it can be that childhood thought that you want to use it as an inspiration for your haiku. In this case, ensure that you focus on a single object in your haiku considering the length of the poem will not allow you to put down every single detail.

Haiku examples can provide a lot of insights for you to write your own. Apart from that, it is a way of learning more about this form of poetry. Ensure that you go through haikus written by the best poets. Once you have selected your topic, you need to ask yourself some questions, what is the point of writing the point?

What is fascinating about the topic? This will enable you to bring in a twist to your poem and leave something for your readers to ponder upon. It can also. For example, you can write about how your football team had a hard time during the season but something happened and they later won the playoffs. Now you need to put your thoughts down on paper. After carefully analyzing your topic and you are now satisfied that it is what you want to write about, then you need to follow the following tips.

Just like other poems, haikus have their strict form. A haiku is made up of only three lines with 17 syllables following the structure. Once you have achieved the syllable rule, then you are good. Ideally, haikus are supposed to provide the reader a brief feel of the subject mainly through the senses. In your analysis of the topic, you should have looked at its taste, smell, look, feel or sound. Now in your writing, you should describe the subject such that the sense in question is brought out clearly so as to give your readers that sense and leave a picture painted in their minds.

In the first line, Basho tells you where the action of the poem is taking place, offering you a visual to immediately connect with. Then, the second line emphasizes what is engaging with the bough—a crow that captures the center of your imagination, while complementing the surroundings.

Lastly, Basho introduces when the crow perches itself on the limb—the dusk of Autumn, which creates a stark twilight that gives the reader a sense of despair or solitude. Photo by Alexander Sinn on Unsplash. You have complete freedom to chop and change whatever elements you want to get your message across. Ultimately, poetry is subjective, and the most important thing is how you use your creativity to develop a poem that satisfies your thoughts and lends insight for the reader to have their own!

Now that you have the tools you need to start writing, always make sure to have fun with your Haikus and share your work with others! In fact, there are some poets who experiment with 1-line Haikus that have 17 syllables across, or even 4-line Haikus with syllable structures. The chain would continue in this fashion. The first verse was called a "hokku" and set the mood for the rest of the verses.

Sometimes there were hundreds of verses and authors of the hokku were often admired for their skill. In the 19th century, the hokku took on a life of its own and began to be written and read as an individual poem.

The word haiku is derived from hokku. Isn't it wonderful to know that such a rich tradition has lasted the test of time? The evolution of haiku might be perceived as a natural process, like anything else in life, but a dedication to its authenticity has preserved its core principles. While master poets in the s, such as Issa, wrote their haiku in the traditional pattern - if read in Japanese - the premise was still the same as it is today. These master poets contemplated small snippets of time, used imagery in their language, and sought out a sense of enlightenment in their prose.

More recently, poets like Jack Kerouac paved the way for a freer rhythm in haiku. However, the same tiny moments in time are still captured in a very colorful and enlightened manner. A haiku remains reserved for those special moments in life when you want to examine the very nature of existence, from a church bell ringing out in the night to the staggering moment you realize he loves you.

You can even write funny haikus. Follow our rules for writing a haiku and capture your own special moment. All rights reserved. Pen and ink as examples of haiku poems.