Haiku form - the myth of 575 in writing English haiku
Created | Updated Aug 18, 2002
In Japanese haiku invariably use the 17 syllable form but in English most working haijin (haiku poets) do not. Unfortunatly the way haiku are taught in most English language school systems concentrates on teaching haiku as 575 syllable poems. One should perhaps read a lot of haiku by recognised haiku poets in English and in English translation. This will help one to recognise haiku poems not by syllable count. Many poems written in 575 form and called haiku just aren't.
Some brief pointers that might help:
Haiku are (even when in 3 line form)usually made up of two parts -a phrase and a fragment - the fragment being line 1 or 3 with the phrase split over lines 1&2 or 2&3 - capture a moment, usually mention nature in some way and traditionally have a seasonal word or phrase (kigo)
so:
"red rose borders" - the fragment and in this case kigo (seasonal reference)
"the crazy golf woman shuts up for the night" - the phrase split over line 2& 3 to give:
red rose borders
the crazy golf woman
shuts up for the night
paul t conneally
Education & Regional Director
World Haiku Club
Some brief pointers that might help:
Haiku are (even when in 3 line form)usually made up of two parts -a phrase and a fragment - the fragment being line 1 or 3 with the phrase split over lines 1&2 or 2&3 - capture a moment, usually mention nature in some way and traditionally have a seasonal word or phrase (kigo)
so:
"red rose borders" - the fragment and in this case kigo (seasonal reference)
"the crazy golf woman shuts up for the night" - the phrase split over line 2& 3 to give:
red rose borders
the crazy golf woman
shuts up for the night
paul t conneally
Education & Regional Director
World Haiku Club
