What is Haiku?


Haiku is one of the most important form of traditional Japanese poetry. Haiku is, today, a 17-syllable verse form consisting of three metrical units of 5, 7, and 5 syllables.

One of the greatest exponents of this form was Basho (1644-94)

Three Haiku by Basho

Waterjar cracks:

I lie awake

This icy night.

 

Lightning:

Heron's cry

Stabs the darkness

 

Sick on a journey:

Over parched fields

Dreams wander on.

In Japan these poems are valued for:

People have tried to translate the Haiku into an English form:

  1. Using no more than 17 syllables.
  2. Arranging these often in lines of 5-7-5 syllables
  3. Avoiding similes and metaphors
  4. Retaining Japanese values

Download the PowerPoint presentation to show this lesson just by clicking on this link - Haiku

 

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