By Gabriel Foster
What is a haiku poem? What kind of poetry is haiku? Where did haiku come from? All valid questions for a curious mind. Haiku is a type of poem that uses 17 syllables in total, 5 syllables in its first line, 7 syllables in its second line and 5 syllables again in its third and final line. Haiku is a very short form poem and as hinted at previously, contains three lines. That is, three very short lines of poetry. Haiku was born in Japan but have since spread globally and like all poem types, have evolved into many different styles by regions and countries.
History of the Haiku
The poetry form in the sixteenth century was used in Japan originally as an opening to another poetry type called renga, a longer type of poem. Over time the haiku became its own standalone poem instead of just an opening to another. In its history, the haiku name was called hokku and wasn’t given its modern name until the end of the 19th century by a Japanese haiku poet named Masaoka Shiki 1867–1902.
Haiku Lost in Translation
At the beginning of the article, I mentioned that haiku since its origination from Japan, have gone global. That journey, like many foreign literary exercises, doesn’t always translate well into another language. The same would be true in this case for the haiku.
Trying to translate the 17 Japanese syllable rules of the poem into English is not an exact translation. Translators have made the argument that using 12 English syllables would be more comparable to the 17 morae (Japanese syllables called “on”).
Another major difference is in the Japanese haiku, the poem is written as a one-line poem. In translation, a two-line break is used to create a three-line poem in English.
Features of the Haiku
Kigo! A word or phrase that the original Japanese haiku poets used to identify which season the poem was taking place.
Kireji! A word that gives pause or break to the rhythm of a poem. The images’ created haiku is often an emphasized contrast.
Nature! Is often the setting of the poems with animals, plants and seasonal changes and highlights. Modern haiku poets, though continuing the tradition of heavily using nature as well, never feel constricted in venturing beyond it and quite often do.
On! Are phonetic elements in Japanese poetry and the word itself means sound.
Basho, Buson & Issa
Here I will give you examples of some of the works of the old haiku masters Matsuo Basho (1644-1694), Yosa Buson (1716-1784) and Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828).
Basho
Even in Kyoto –
hearing the cuckoo’s cry –
I long for Kyoto.
Felling a tree
and seeing the cut end –
tonight’s moon.
Autumn moonlight –
a worm digs silently
into the chestnut.
A snowy morning –
by myself,
chewing on dried salmon.
A crow
has settled on a bare branch –
autumn evening.
Buson
They end their flight
one by one –
crows at dusk.
His holiness the Abbot
is shitting
in the withered fields.
Blown from the west,
fallen leaves gather
in the east.
The mad girl
in the boat at midday;
spring currents.
Night deepens,
sleep in the villages,
the sound of falling water.
Issa
Bats flying
in a village without birds
at evening mealtime.
Goes out,
comes back –
the loves of a cat.
Mosquito at my ear –
does it think
i’m deaf?
Asked how old he was,
the boy in the new kimono
stretched out all five fingers.
Don’t kill that fly!
look – it’s wringing its hands,
wring its feet.
Departing Wisdom
The world of haiku poetry is rich with beautiful poems like the above examples I provided. Explore on your own, not just the works from those classic masters of old, but both contemporary and modern poets of haiku as well. Observe their styles, subject matter and how they are evolving the art of Haiku. Experiment yourself if you’re a poet, or just appreciate the evolution if you’re a poetry lover. Either way, jump in and support this great art form.
GF Poetic Wisdom | Haiku is that short Japanese poem that slices through the long complexities of nature, art and human awareness like a samurai. ~ Gabriel Foster
