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Haiku is a form of poetry that originated from two other types of poetry called renga and tanka, which came about in 13th century Japan. The former type of poetry broke away as its own form of art in the 17th century, and it was born from Taoism, Buddhism, and Shintoism. Before this widely known art form was called haiku; however, it was known as hokku until the 19th century. The name haiku was coined by the Japanese writer Masaoka Shiki, who made it an independent poem rather than one that linked the verses of another. Masaoka was one of the four most well-known haiku masters, the others being Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, and Kobayashi Issa; collectively, they are known as “the Great Four”. Matsuo is credited with bringing the form of haiku to life, and his frog poem is one of the most well-recognized haiku and it is as follows:
furu ike ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto
In English, the poem translates to:
old pond:
frog jumps in,
the sound of water
The most widespread definition of what a haiku is would be something along the lines of, “a three-line poem with syllables of 5, 7, and 5”. Nevertheless, this is not always the case, especially in traditional Japanese haiku. There is, in reality, what is written in the Japanese language cannot be made precisely equivalent to English syllables. Much of the haiku based in Japan, though, has a pattern of 5-7-5 when it comes to onji, which is similar to the concept of a syllable or phonetic unit. Such onji are originally arranged in vertical columns, but too much focus on syllable count limits the expression that one can use in the art. Even the masters of haiku sometimes broke the syllable pattern, but the point is for the poem to be recitable in one breath due to its shortness of length. In addition to these characteristics, most haiku are comprised of kireji, or “cutting words”. These kireji are pauses and spoken caesura that take up one or two syllables. This requirement of haiku is meant to supply structural support to a verse, for it could put a halt to the stream of thought or provide a dignified sense of closure. Kireji are usually placed after the 5th and 12th onji to provide separation between ideas, and while there are 18 classical kireji, some common ones include ka, kana, -keri, -ramu, -shi, -tsu, and ya. Another significant element of haiku is kigo, which is a reference to one of the four seasons, which is implicit in many cases. If a poem does not contain kigo, it is said to be a senryu, which is a poem revolving around human nature. A kigo can be implicit in that there are certain words that indicate one of the seasons. Some examples of these are how frogs, swallows, plums, and cherry blossoms are for spring; lilies, short nights, duckweed, and herons are for summer; lightning, harvest moon, deer, and dew are for autumn; and fallen leaves, owls, frost, and ducks
are for winter. When the seasonal reference is even more subtle such that it is not indicated with a keyword, it is called kidai. An example of a seasonal reference through kigo is found in Of Persimmons and Bells by Masaoka Shiki:
kaki kueba
kane ga naru nari
horyuji
Its English translation is:
when I ate a persimmon
the bell rung
the Horyuji temple
In this case, the word “persimmon” is a kigo referencing autumn.
Haiku is an art form that also has the trait of utilizing natural, everyday words rather than poetic ones. These short poems are usually written without devices usually found in poetic expressions, such as rhyme, alliteration, and simile. On the other hand, traditional haiku make use of physical subjects and images while avoiding overly-descriptive wording. Also demonstrating its simplistic nature, many haiku do not come with titles and lack capitalization of each line’s first word. Most titles of traditional haiku are simply derived from one of their lines as a way to refer to them easily. The purpose of haiku is to be short and simple, allowing readers to develop multiple interpretations of these nature-related works. Furthermore, haiku could be made of two separate ideas as well, so it is useful to see it as the turning point in a poem. With this reasoning, the first and second lines by themselves should make sense as one idea, and the second and third lines should make sense as another. The two ideas found in a haiku could be compared, contrasted, or associated with one another depending on the purpose of the poem. An example that portrays this concept is shown in From Time to Time by Matsuo Bashō:
kumo ori ori
hito o yasumeru
tsukimi kana
In English, the poem reads:
from time to time
the clouds give rest
to the moon beholders
The first and second lines can be read as, “from time to time, the clouds give rest,” and the second and third lines would be, “the clouds give rest to the moon beholders”. Prior to the third line, it is unknown what exactly is receiving rest, but we are aware that the movement of clouds sometimes allows it. Readers then learn that it is those that watch the moon that are given a break from its unbreaking light. The ideas that could be contrasting here are the dimness of the clouds’ covering and the light that the moon brings when it is visible. These two ideas, though, are not contrasting but instead working toward the same goal of individuals’ appreciation of the moonlight.
A common misconception about haiku is that they are overly simplistic and easy to put together. As seen, however, there are a plethora of elements that make up the art form of haiku that are unspoken of. These types of poems seem short and do not use a lot of complicated diction, but they still have much substance that makes them engaging and memorable as an art form.
The purpose of a haiku is to create a natural connection between itself and its readers, specifically by giving a lot to interpret while not literally saying a lot. Such poems utilize what is uncomplicated and seemingly unexciting to give birth to something that is. Readers are able to see themselves in some way in haiku and find multiple meanings in a singular, concrete excerpt. A merely physical occurrence is thus the origin of abstract truth through interpretation. The meaning of the poem is hinted at rather than clearly stated, making haiku implicit in this manner as well. The fewer words and descriptions there are in a haiku, the more possible meanings it is capable of possessing. Within these short poems, there are minimal limits that make their meanings more subjective for readers. Therefore, haiku should be written with tangible subjects and objects. An example would be using the word “teardrop” instead of “sadness”. In this way, readers are able to determine for themselves what the teardrop is supposed to mean and represent, allowing the words to show their meaning rather than tell it. All art, in a way, is simply the thing that initiates the beauty of creative thought in those that experience it, and this is especially important when it comes to haiku. An additional intention of these poems is to convey living in the present and the particular moment that is being told about in the poem. In order to accomplish this, traditional haiku are written in the present tense. To place readers in the sense of now, they also take acute notice of and focus on moments that would otherwise be ordinary situations. With the use of kigo and other such components, haiku are meant to express deep feelings associated with nature, which is hence connected to the emotions and nature of human beings. This relates to the Japanese idea that humans are a part of the natural world rather than separate from it. Instead of being a superior individual away from nature, which coincides with Western thought, the idea that humans should pursue harmony with it is pursued.
While there are plenty of traditional elements and standards that make a haiku unique and fulfilling of its purpose, it is essential not to place too much focus on these rules, for the creativity that could be expressed would then be restricted. As stated previously, even haiku masters did not always abide by the rule of having a 5-7-5 pattern of onji. What is important, though, is that such nature-related expression is achieved in a way that allows audiences to interpret a haiku’s meaning through its few words. To create a well-crafted haiku, there are some principles that one should consider while writing.
Focus on a single transient experience.
These poems are known to be brief and tell of simplistic events in nature. To place too many descriptions and ideas into one would overcomplicate it and defeat its purpose. As long as one has an idea to share with readers through such an occurrence, it is feasible to write about in a haiku. Such happenings are meant to be related to nature and reference one of the seasons in some way, so to satisfy this constituent of the art form, the idea being discussed should be more focused on the natural world than human identity, allowing readers to derive their own meaning from the poem.
Avoid making what is spoken indirect and abstract.
Avoiding the use of flowery literary devices and languages makes haiku relatively straightforward. This straightforwardness, nonetheless, adds to the art form’s ability to leave a lot of its meaning to the imagination. Readers should be able to visualize what is being spoken about, making use of imagery to come up with their own resulting emotions. Consequently, opinions or personal thoughts should not be heavily explored in haiku.
Use words and depictions that are easy to comprehend.
In haiku, the goal is for readers to be able to imagine the exact experience being told about in their own minds. People should be able to quickly grasp the situation being presented to them and relate to it in some way. This makes it easier for readers to develop their own emotions correlating with the poem. For instance, the conventional use of kigo gives audiences something that they have all experienced: the nature of a season.
Organize ideas such that all of them directly contribute to the image being made.
This goes along with avoiding overly complex language or literary devices, for haiku embodies the art of minimalism. The ideas being put forth should be in an order that makes the most sense to clearly create the image that the writer wishes to convey. All of the details incorporated in a haiku should create an impact on the reader, and other parts that are not needed can be put aside.
Make the haiku recitable in one breath.
As mentioned earlier, not all haiku follow a 5-7-5 formula of syllables, especially when an amount of onji cannot be equivalent to that of syllables. It is quite crucial, though, for the poem to be short enough to say in a single breath. This also relates to the idea that all words and details in a haiku are necessary and influential in its overall meaning. When a haiku is sayable in one breath, it retains its emotional force, and there is not too much for audiences to digest.
Haiku has become one of the most famous forms of poetry worldwide, and they are still widely used today and taught in schools. However, while they are taught to be simple poems with 5, 7, then 5 syllables in their lines, there is much more to them. More than just a specific amount of syllables need to be integrated into haiku for it to realize its traditional purpose and convey an impactful message. Regarding the intention of haiku, they are capable of teaching us a valuable lesson in the fast-paced world we live in today. These poems show us that we can still be in harmony with the environment around us and take the time to find meaning in minor natural incidents taking place. It also promotes the idea that there is beauty and complexity in simplicity, and with personal interpretation, there is more than what meets the eye. Thus, contrary to popular belief, much meaning and emotion can be found within a few thoughtfully put-together words that make up the art of haiku.
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Written + research by Zoë Cacanindin
Edited by Prisha Jain
Cover page by Yifei Wang
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