What is Haiku (& How to Write It!)

What is the shortest poem in the world? What’s the easiest to write? Should syllables count—5-7-5—and so sum the lines?

Three lines of haiku look simple and yet contain cosmography. And counting syllables—it’s beside the point.

Read our “well-rounded and to the point” article below if you'd like to know just how to compose a simple haiku for yourself and for others.

Haiku, a traditional literary form of Japan now in English too, employs metaphor, metonymy, and three-fold logic in three lines of plain speech to make a poem. Haiku highlights a direct experience, an emotion, and/or an image in a play between the minute particular and the cosmos at large. English haiku similarly "pops"  in three lines but without as much technicality in syllable counts.

Haiku is an accessible form of art of any language that adds beauty and depth to life and all relations in three lines. This article aims to ground the reader in tradition and treat the form broadly including contemplative exercises and writing prompts that can slowly transform our persona in art. Heeding this article will ensure a more cosmic haiku which gets straight to the point.

Japanese Haiku in English Translation

There are many Japanese haiku artists to explore as well as many translations, each in multiple languages from which to choose. Basho (1644-1694) and Issa (1763-1828) are two of the most renowned haiku artists in Japanese. 

Reginald Horace Blyth was perhaps the most influential interpreter of haiku in English having produced some four volumes of haiku surveying practically the entirety of the Japanese tradition through the four seasons (plus two volumes of history as a practical study). Kenneth Yasuda and Harold Gould Henderson are other notable translators of haiku in English culture. The choices of haiku translations and original compositions in English are practically endless!

Haiku in Zen Buddhism

Many of the most famous haiku poets, such as Basho and Issa, were also Zen Buddhist monks whose poems often contained reflections on religious life. Their poems are indicative of the contemplative life, of traveling, loneliness, and asceticism; fresh takes on the core tenets and esthetic of Japanese Buddhism. 

Basho's inspiration was Saigyo (1118-1190) whose tanka poems – a 5-line literary precursor to haiku—also reflected Buddha's three marks of existence (impermanence, suffering, and selflessness) in a beautiful melancholy. Stretching further back into China, the source of Japan's classical arts are Han Shan and sidekick Shih Te, Buddhist/Taoist legends who,  in their sacred irreverence, scratched poems onto the rocks and tree trunks of "Cold Mountain," ever out of reach of so-called authorities, wild and awake in the Tang Dynasty (618-906). 

Bodhidharma, founder of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China, was integral to the importation of the lifestyle and poetic sensibility of the lineage mentioned above up to and including its transcreation from Japanese to English, namely through Jack Kerouac and the Beats. The stark image of his self-plucked eyelids, bushy eyebrows, his one sandal dangling from his rucksack pole (he left the other in his coffin) are images that epitomize the stuff and spirit of haiku. Beatific in every sense! 

Bodhidharma was the 28th Patriarch of Zen. Each successive patriarch has been Chinese, then Japanese. The first Indian patriarch was Buddha’s disciple Mahākaśyapa who awakened to the ineffable truth on the occasion of the Thus Gone One’s pointing-out of a natural object in "The Flower Sermon."

At one time Buddha, The One Gone Thus, gathered with his disciples and bestowed on them a teaching by silently holding up a flower. Most of the disciples were baffled at Buddha's silence, instead expecting a verbal teaching. But Mahākaśyapa understood Buddha's wisdom intent and smiled thus receiving direct transmission of the unutterable truth of thusness. Then Buddha said:

"I possess the true Dharma eye, the marvelous mind of Nirvana, the true form of the formless, the subtle Dharma Gate that does not rest on words or letters but is a special transmission outside of the scriptures. This I entrust to Mahākāśyapa."

In the case of Mahākaśyapa, seeing the thing itself, the flower as it is, produced a sudden and profound awakening called satori. Mahākaśyapa thus became the regent of Buddha and successfully transmitted this dharma in an unbroken line to this very day.

The spirit of haiku itself can be traced to Mahākaśyapa's witnessing of the flower, his experience of gnostic satori, and an emotive smile. And though it may take a lifetime of practice and cultivation to experience such full-blown satori, there is a class of little flashes of enlightenment called kensho that are well within reach of ordinary practitioners. Creative writers can make use of luminous kensho moments to craft some beautiful little haiku. Satori could happen quite suddenly, too.

Thus, the little things of everyday experience—the stuff of haiku—are practicable on the path of complete and perfect awakening in the same way as the Patriarchs and Zen poets of yore.

The Kerouacian Pop

One of the most influential artists and proponents of haiku in English was Jack Kerouac (1922-1969), the beat writer best known for his rambling beat, vernacular novels On the Road and The Dharma Bums. Inspired by Zen Buddhism and bebop jazz, Kerouac wrote many wild poems. His haiku, (he self-coined the term "pops" for them) were ordinary visions, beatific and luminous details.

English haiku at large may stylistically "pop" in a Kerouacian play of contemplative mind, the beat-ness of the pop being in the discreetness of the stuff of the sense perceptions. From Kerouac's collected haiku, Book of Haikus, he writes:

In my medicine cabinet
the winter fly
Has died of old age

A tangible place and a real creature. A classical, seasonal reference. And a punch line— the immemorial truth of impermanence and death. Upon further reading an homage to our ancestor of English poetry William Blake (1757-1827), apparently also invokes the simplicity of "The Fly".  It "pops" (and please notice the irrelevance of syllable counts).

Kerouac muses on haiku in The Dharma Bums via Japhy Ryder, stand-in for Gary Snyder who, high on the mountain “Matterhorn” riffs on the cosmos of classical haiku:

 "A real haiku's gotta be as simple as porridge and yet make you see the real thing." 

"Like the greatest haiku of them all probably is the one that goes 'The sparrow hops along the veranda, with wet feet.' By Shiki. You see the wet footprints like a vision in your mind and yet in those few words you also see all the rain that's been falling that day and almost smell the wet pine needles."

Writing Prompt: Cultivate the Contemplative Mind

Haiku is a literary play of contemplative mind. Though the form is simple, it requires diligent personal cultivation (mind-body-emotion integration), as well as a rigorous and steadfast inner development.

Contemplation is an iterative process. The object of contemplation is one's personal experience considered again and again. Each iteration of contemplation adds significant depth, finer analyses, and emotional integration into one's personal continuum.

How to Practice Contemplation: A Writing Prompt

1. In the beginning: Relax in a comfortable position. Bring awareness to the breath. Resolve, in writing, to consider the depth of being as it relates to a particular instance of life.
2. The main practice: Allow the mind to explore a particular instance in life: the more specific, the better (all the metaphor, metonymy, poetic associations and emotions will be drawn out of it). Write all the luminous details that come to mind. In the course of exploring and remembering, stay on topic to the particular instance chosen at first, then iterate on it again. Well, going around and back to the point, we're not writing haiku quite yet, but honing the mind in contemplation of an object. 
3. In the end: grateful for all the beauty of life, write a fresh resolution e.g., to be patient, kind, compassionate, etc., in all future endeavors through the perfect haiku of place and time.

The practice above can be performed sitting in one place, relaxed for fifteen to forty-five minutes or so. A good time with a coffee or a few pots of tea. Writing with this process helps to stay on topic as well as provide source-material for the formal compositions to come. 

In addition to merely sitting around drinking tea, the contemplative mindset should be cultivated during all the four activities: (1) sitting, (2) walking, (3) standing, and (4) lying down. 

When the contemplative mindset is continuously developed as a means to refine and enrich one's character, art and persona, it's bound to show in haiku. In fact, contemplative mindsets and practices have been key to all the great haiku artists of present and yore.

Understand the Form: Haiku's Outer & Inner Logics

Outer Logic: 3-Line Construction 

Two out of three lines in haiku are contextual and colored with metaphor and/or metonymy. And then there’s one line in particular, or the ending of a line, that really pops! In Japanese it's called kireji, "the cutting word." In English we call it "the punch line." 

One out of three lines contain kireji  (the cutting word, or punch line). It's the part that cuts the stream of thought to laugh out loud or weep  a tear. Kireji can be used to end one of the first two lines or it can end the entire poem.

Besides the punch line, the remaining two lines typically highlight a season through some distinct natural phenomenon; some “thing” itself. The plum blossom, for instance, can serve as a natural metaphor for spring or love. And the chrysanthemum for autumn and impermanence.

There is yet another common trope in traditional haiku: metonymy. Metonymy is a device wherein from among a standardized set of descriptive words, one is chosen to stand in for the real thing. In English we do not seem to use as much metonymy in poetry compared with Asian traditions, especially those that have inherited the Kāvya tradition of classical Sanskṛt poetry. Were one to coin a natural example in English, "five petals" could be metonymy that stands for the actual "plum blossom." 

We could go on to establish the natural image of five petals in metonymy by adding another line with a verb to round it out. Traditionally, the second line is a seasonal reference but it could be any association that widens the scope beyond the thing itself. 

dripping snow
five petals promise...

The season is a spring day with a wintery mix of slushy snow dripping off some striking and chilled plum blossoms. And yet, the petals are not just a static picture, they come to life with a verb: promise...

The punch line connects to this verb in that it introduces the element of love. The natural image is the plum blossom, portrayed in metonymy as “five petals,” from which a metaphor will also be drawn:

lovers exchange rings

Here, the punchline is the seasonal image equated with two lovers’ hands (five petals/five fingers): the act of the lovers' promise is exchanging rings. The promise of spring by winter stands; the natural promise of renewal in and of itself.

When a haiku has been completely sounded off, acknowledge it is complete and for the benefit of one’s own and others’ full comprehension repeat it in full:

dripping snow
five petals promise
lovers exchange rings

Inner Logic: Three Spheres Frameworks

The 3-fold logic represents a cohesive and balanced worldview, or paradigm. Naturally, groupings of three prevail in religious, cultural, and professional categorizations. For instance: (1) the task, (2) purpose, and (3) end-state of a contemplative life.

Traditionally, haiku represent the natural world. As the natural world is cohesive and sensible in and of itself, the worldview of the observer should be too. For example, Heaven, Earth, and Human are readily apparent in the world as what's encompassing, supportive, and directly experiential. It's a Far Eastern logic chock full of respective abodes and beings.

1. Heaven: the blank page/empty stage, vastness, cosmos, space, eternal law; an all-encompassing feeling, a sudden sense of wonder, a worldview. The traditional seasonal reference is included in Heaven.
2. Earth: the first thought/expression, the grounding in space; tangible things, minute particulars, natural phenomena. Haiku are literally down-to-earth poems because they include a representation of some specific thing that is actually experienced, not just a theory or concept of reality.
3. Human: fleshes out the poem/expression, responding and interpreting input from Heaven and Earth. Human is the place where the facts of the season and the thing itself take a little twist. The "cutting word" or “punch line” of the poem is intensely Human. 

"Close to the nose."

A 3-fold logic of tantric Buddhism categorizes Outer, Inner, and Secret as what's apparent, private, and inexpressible in one's own, empty self. Similarly religious, a Catholic's haiku might draw on a cosmos of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Other 3-fold logics are more analytical, theoretical, rhetorical (i.e. the Hegelian dialectic). Nonetheless, they are amenable to fine haiku. 

Again, be sensitive to the season, heavenly principles, luminous details. And remember kireji, the punch line!

Try it Out: The Spontaneous 3-Liner

The Spontaneous 3-liner is a fun way to build improvisation skills—especially with friends or a cohort of writing students. 

This practice is great when begun with a brief meditation. An easy one to try is based on the 3-fold logic of Heaven, Earth, and Human. While sitting comfortably and upright, meditate point-by-point for about one minute each or five minutes total:

• Summon all the heavenly and celestial powers, all-embracing above, descending into the crown and permeating the brain, throat, and heart. Breathe deeply, opening these centers and the heart. 
• Invite the natural energy of Earth, radiant with its own life-force, up through the gushing springs (an acupuncture point on the bottom of the foot). Firmly connect the sitz bones all the way down to bedrock and let the gushing springs well upward. A ruled and golden ground enriches the body upward from the root to the lower abdomen.
• Breath yet deeper to "Unite Heaven and Earth" by ultimately yoking and joining their forces in the solar plexus, yoked to one while beaming its own natural way. 

During this meditation one should solely focus on the energy and raw emotion of the forces that are Heaven, Earth, and Human. Whatever thoughts or poetic schemes come to mind, let them go. Focus again and again on the breath, the body, and the energies of the three.

Finally, let go of the meditation and make way for a spontaneous 3-Liner. Follow these points on the “stage of life”:

• Arise on stage with an empty mind and rest without contrivance until a phrase appears therein.
• Having spoken the first concrete phrase that appears to mind, flesh out the next two lines at a natural pace.
• Let the poem settle in the space it just created. It's still committed to short-term memory so affirm it is good and complete by reciting it once again! 

"First thought, best thought." - Chogyam Trungpa

This practice in poetics can also be performed alone and in any place. Imagine all kinds of guests filling an otherwise empty room as you look on from the stage; or the outdoor, seemingly inanimate scene completely chock full of living beings.

A poem or haiku practiced in this way is bound to be authentic. It's a joy for all who are lucky to hear—and even a privilege to see on the page!

Write it Down: Contemplative Reflections

A similar contemplative approach could be taken to compose haiku in simple writing (a less performative and “intense” approach than the spontaneous three-liner explained above). 

A number of methods can be utilized to enter a contemplative mindset: sitting still, resting comfortably upright; breathing slowly through the nose, letting go with each out-breath; allowing discursive thoughts to dissolve...

So, with a fresh mind remember some luminous detail of recent events. A certain kind of detail that haunts one's thoughts for days could generate a proliferation of story lines. In this case, it's the original detail of the experience that counts.

Another kind of luminous detail is that which is typically not even noticed at all but, instead, is overlooked. There must be hundreds of haiku a day that could be crafted from the likes of these! Nevertheless, many people tend to gloss over the passing, albeit fully qualified and beautiful, details of daily life. A master writer of haiku however, is a person steeped in the contemplative arts who notices such minute particulars as they arise.

Here's a set of three easy steps to write haiku after having grounded in a contemplative mindset. These steps are taken from Mind Writing Slogans which, too, are organized in a three-fold logic, namely "Ground, Path, and Fruition." 

• First, notice something new.
  "Notice what you notice." - Allen Ginsberg 
• Second, commit to contemplating just that thing. Frame it according to a wider perspective (such as the season that contextualizes it, a metaphor that relates, or metonymy that expands on the meaning).
  "Clamp the mind down on objects." - W.C. Williams 
• Third, highlight the emotion. This human factor is essential in art and is often responsible for the punch line in haiku. (If there is absolutely no emotional response to the thing itself, it may not be that interesting after all, or too conceptual, and another more tangible object should be chosen.)
  "Only emotion endures." - Ezra Pound

Following these three steps thoroughly completes three lines of haiku. Best case, three spontaneous lines are perfect as they are. But one may also feel free to rearrange the phrases and lines so the punch line etc., each finds its place in better harmony with one another. 

To reiterate the contemplative practice of writing haiku, the habit of noticing the little things in daily life is essential—it can't be stressed (in writing) or relaxed into (in real life) enough. Luminous details are sources of beauty and meaning in life. Noticing them enriches one's own experience and naturally generates concern for how others might relate too. 

Regarding the relation between noticing the little things and doing good for others in society:

"Labor well the Minute Particular, attend to the Little-ones:
He who would do good for another must do it in Minute Particulars
General Good is the plea of the scoundrel hypocrite & flatterer:
For Art & Science cannot exist but in minutely organized Particulars." - William Blake

In this way haiku is practiced and composed as a method of actually helping others by noticing the little things and discovering how they relate. It's really helpful in one's life whether or not anyone else even reads the finished product! Haiku is thus relevant in maintaining and promoting a society of caring and considerate individuals—the literary art of it mere icing on the cake.

Editing Haiku: Less is More

Similar to the raw authenticity of the spontaneous three-liner, written haiku, too, are often perfect as they are. A little tweak here and there, though, can sometimes help haiku pop the better.

Unedited haiku are often too wordy, to be blunt. Many filler words and prepositions can simply be eliminated. Other times a haiku that has multiple verbs may need some paring down to a single verb. 

Remember: the haiku revolves around a single minute particular and its relation to the environment, season, etc. A single object in an instant of time (or the person relating to that object) can really only be doing a single thing as well. Therefore, featuring only a single verb can help clarify the message and keep it simple. If there are multiple verbs – say, a single verb per line – simply ensure that there is not too much repetition as is common with the continuous tense. Be sparing as well with gerunds ending in "-ing."

Take a look at punctuation. See if it, too, can be simplified. Perhaps a single piece of punctuation is all the poem needs; perhaps even none. Each line having some punctuation at the end could be a sign of over-reliance on the convention. Try letting the ambiguous space of the line breaks themselves suggest the meaning, even multiple meanings.

Indentation of lines can make the poem more playful and readable on the page. Capitalizing the non-indented, justified lines help group the punch line apart from the others. Try a variety of formatting styles as the finished product finally comes into its own.

Situations to Inspire More Haiku Pop World Views

The possibilities are infinite as far as three lines are concerned. Simply step out the door!

Inspiration stems from what's meaningful in life. And what's meaningful in one's own life is typically meaningful in another's. In case there's a feeling of stagnation, while yet seeking to grow and expand, forget about haiku and all the arts! Just look outside and try to be helpful to a neighbor, a friend, a person in need. 

Examine how oneself and those held dear are affected by suffering and volunteer to alleviate some of that suffering for once. Be patient and see how it's the same in all countries, everywhere.

Open up all the senses to what's actually happening in the community, the environment. Feel the shifting of tides and seasons.

Emotions are the key to inspiration; accept them, own them, transform them in artful ways.

Find the beauty everywhere. It's free to be found!

A Simple “Pop” to Top it Off

A host
a guest
A simple bowl of tea