How to Haiku

January 20, 2011

Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry that is written with seventeen syllables. These poems are written about everyday things such as nature, feeling, or experiences. Haiku means "playful verse." That means the poems do not have to be serious. The goal of haiku is to convey the meaning by creating a picture. These poems do not rhyme and consist of three lines. The first line has five syllables, the second has seven syllables, and the last line has five syllables. 

An example of a haiku:
It is a cat who
Sits in the sun purring loud,
There it is content.

Want to learn more about haiku? Check out these books:

Haiku by Valerie Bodden
Morning Haiku by Sonia Sanchez
Haiku-The Sacred Art: A Spiritual Practice In Three Lines by Margaret D. McGee

Jessica F.
Edgerton Branch