How to Write a Haiku
Posted on July 28th, 2009 by Marck
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Many styles of Japanese poetry are written with very reserved, spare styles that make them profound and enigmatic to readers. Haiku may seem simple, but it is precisely the simplicity of haiku that makes it very meaningful and moving. Here are things you need to know about writing haiku.
Structure of Haiku
Many forms of Japanese poetry are based on a limited number of verses and a very restrained attitude. Yet the simplicity of haiku makes it difficult to write and even more sobering to interpret. The structure of haiku relies on three things: theme, lines, and syllables.
Kigo
Traditional Japanese haiku uses seasons, or kigo, as its theme. Kigo may refer to any of the four seasons (spring, summer, fall, or winter), but it may include plants, animals, or natural phenomena associated with weather or a particular season. The purpose of kigo is to economize the lines, and make for a tighter, more meaningful poem.
Kireji
Kireji are cutting words or punctuations used in haiku. The kireji is very important to haiku because it provides a juxtaposition or a relationship between the two parts of the poem. Kireji is used to clean up and economize lines and verses.
Moras
Most forms of haiku in English or in romanized Japanese use a 5-7-5 pattern for syllables (in Japanese, on) or sound units (moras), although this is not a standard rule. Some haiku may contain less sound units, but the poem is kept as symmetrical and economical as possible. Rhyme is almost always never used in the lines of haiku or Japanese poetry, relying instead on moras.
Meaning
Like almost all poetry, haiku contains meanings that are either found within the lines themselves, or understood when the text is interpreted:
Juxtaposition
While haiku is a very short poem, the poem can be divided into two lines with different meanings, juxtaposed and related by the middle line containing the kireji. While not all haiku have to follow this example, traditional haiku typically relates two concepts, like a setting and an action, in a very conservative set of sounds and verses.
Attitude
Haiku is deeply involved and related to Japanese cultural practices and beliefs. Japanese philosophy is often found in many forms of poetry, and in haiku in particular:
- Mono no aware is a feeling of sadness that comes with fleeting moments. The sense of mono no aware, or a sense of transcience, is often expressed in haiku because of the event, the season, and the juxtaposition of verses to the kigo.
- Wabi sabi, or the acceptance and openness to imperfection, is a characteristic found in many lines of haiku. Wabi sabi also relates to transcience; the limitations and restrictions of the form, as well as the presence of kireji, gives the haiku a sense of openness and incompleteness.
Like any poem, the feeling and meaning of haiku is best felt when it arises naturally from the verses. With these steps, you can make haiku for any occasion you can think of, or for any mood you feel.
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