4 Ways to Write a Haiku

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 17:31

Haiku are short poems that use sensory languages to capture a feeling or an image. They are often inspired by natural elements, a moment of beauty or an exciting experience. Haiku poetry was developed by Japanese poets, and has been adopted into other languages by poets of all nations. Read on to learn how to write one yourself.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Understanding the Structure of Haiku

Step 1. Know the sound structure of haiku

Japanese haiku traditionally consist of 17 "on" or sounds, divided into three phrases: 5 sounds, 7 sounds, and 5 sounds. Poets of other languages have interpreted "on" as syllables. Haiku poetry has evolved over time, and many poets no longer respect this structure; modern haiku can have more than 17 sounds or even just one.

• The Italian syllables vary greatly in length, while the Japanese "on" are all equally short. For this reason a 17-syllable Italian poem can be much longer than a traditional Japanese 17 "on" poem, evading the concept that haiku were born to give the idea of an image using only a few sounds.

• When deciding how many sounds or syllables to use in your haiku, remember the Japanese idea that haiku should be able to be expressed in one breath. In Italian this means that the poem should be 10-14 syllables long. Take this haiku written by American novelist Jack Kerouac as an example:

  • "Snow in my shoes"

    "Abandon"

    "Sparrow hawk's nest"

  

  Step 2. Use haiku to combine two ideas

  The Japanese word "kiru", which means "to cut", expresses the notion that haiku should always contain two overlapping ideas. The two parts are grammatically independent, and are usually also separate images.

  • Japanese haiku are commonly written on a single line, with side-by-side ideas separated by a "kireji", or word that cuts, which helps define the two ideas. The "kireji" usually appears at the end of one of the sound phrases. There is no direct tradition of a "kireji", so it is often translated with a hyphen. Note the two separate ideas in this Japanese haiku by Basho:

    • "How cool is the feeling of feet against the wall - siesta"

  • Haiku in other languages are often written in three lines. Side-by-side ideas are "cut" by a line break, by punctuation, or simply by a space. This poem is by the American poet Lee Gurga:

    • "Fresh scent -"

      "The muzzle of a labrador"

      "sinks into the snow"

  • In both cases, the idea is to create a detachment between the two sides and to highlight the meaning of the poem through an "internal comparison". Creating this two-part structure effectively can be the hardest part of writing a haiku, because it can be very difficult to avoid too obvious a connection between the two parts, and at the same time avoid juxtaposing two unrelated ideas.

  Method 2 of 4: Choose a Subject for the Haiku

  

  Step 1. Condense an intense experience

  Haiku have traditionally focused on the details of the environment that relate to the human condition. Think of haiku as a kind of meditation that conveys an objective image or feeling without employing subjective judgment and analysis. When you see or notice something that makes you want to say "Look" to everyone, that experience may be suitable for a haiku.

  • Japanese poets traditionally used haiku to capture and grasp the essence of an ephemeral natural image, such as a frog leaping into a pond, rain falling on leaves, or a flower bending in the wind. Many people take walks just to find inspiration for their poems, which are referred to as ginkgo walks in Japanese.
  • Contemporary haiku can go beyond nature as a subject. Urban environments, emotions, relationships and comic topics can become subjects of haiku.

  Step 2. Include a seasonal reference

  A reference to the season or the passing of the season, defined in Japanese as "kigo", is a fundamental element of haiku. The reference may be obvious, like the words "spring" or "autumn", or it may be less obvious. For example, mentioning wisteria, which blooms in summer, may be a less obvious reference. Note the "kigo" in Fukuda Chiyo-ni's poem:

  • "Ipomea!"

    "The bucket of the well is wrapped in you,"

    "I ask for water"

  

  Step 3. Create a subject change

  Following the idea that a haiku should contain two ideas side by side, change the perspective of your subject so that your poem has two parts. For example, you could focus on the details of an ant climbing up a log, then complement that image with a broader view of the whole forest, or of the season. The juxtaposition gives the poem a deeper metaphorical meaning than a mere description would have. Take this poem by Richard Wright:

  • "Foaming waves on the bay:"

    "A broken sign that slams"

    "In the April wind."

  Method 3 of 4: Use Sensory Language

  

  Step 1. Describe the details

  Haiku are composed of details observed by the five senses. The poet witnesses an event and uses words to compress that experience so that other people can understand it in some way. Once you have chosen a subject for your haiku, think about what details you want to describe. Bring the subject to mind and answer these questions:

  • What did you notice about the subject? What colors, shapes and contrasts did you observe?
  • What were the sounds of the subject? What was the tone and volume of the event that just happened?
  • Did it have a taste or smell? How can you accurately describe the feeling you experienced?

  

  Step 2. Show, don't tell

  Haiku are about moments of objective experience, not subjective interpretations or analyzes of those events. It is important to show readers something true about the existence of the moment, rather than telling the emotions it aroused in you. Let the reader feel his emotions in reaction to that image.

  • Use discreet and sober imagery. For example, instead of saying it's Summer, focus on the strength of the sun or the heaviness of the air.
  • Don't use clichés. Verses that readers may recognize as "a dark and stormy night" tend to lose their effectiveness over time. Think about the image you want to describe and use an innovative and original language to express it. It doesn't mean you have to use a dictionary to find words not commonly used; rather, simply write about what you saw and use the most sincere words you have to express it.

  Method 4 of 4: Become a Haiku Writer

  

  Step 1. Be inspired

  In the tradition of the great haiku poets, go outside to find inspiration. Take a walk and connect with your surroundings. What details of the environment tell you something? What makes them unique?

  • Bring a notebook with you to write the verses that come to you. You never know when the sight of a stone in a stream, a mouse jumping on subway tracks, or distant clouds over the hills can inspire you to write a haiku.
  • Read the poems of other writers. The beauty and simplicity of haiku has inspired thousands of writers in many different languages. Reading other haiku can help set your imagination in motion.

  

  Step 2. Practice

  Like all arts, haiku requires practice. Basho, who is considered to be the greatest haiku poet of all time, said that every haiku should pass the language a thousand times. Keep editing each poem until the meaning is perfectly expressed. Remember that you will not have to adhere to the 5-7-5 syllable pattern, that a true literate includes a "kigo", a two-part structure, and a primarily sensory objective imagery.

  

  Step 3. Communicate with other poets

  If you are a serious student of haiku, it is worth joining national organizations of Haiku poets. You can also subscribe to the best haiku magazines like "Modern haiku" and "Frogpond" to learn more about this art form.

  Advice

  • Haiku is called "unfinished" poetry because each poem requires the reader to finish it in his or her heart.
  • Contemporary haiku poets write poetry in the form of short snippets of three words or less.
  • The haiku derives from "hakai no renga", a collaborative group poem of a hundred lines in length. The "hokku", or initial verse, of these poems indicated the season and contained a word that cut. Haiku continued this tradition