Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry characterized partly by a specific number of characters and pairings of imagery in language. Its English versions also use language that convey images, often referring to nature, the seasons, and the human experience.
Traditional haiku usually has 17 syllables in groups of three lines. However, many haiku poets are more flexible with their syllable counts. The typical number of syllables for haiku in English is, in fact, 10 - 14. Like Japanese haiku, however, this minimum amount of words to "show" an image more than "tell" is purposely meant to be vague and unclear, while conveying a message that is rich and profound.
Felipe from our level 5 class in Jackson Heights agreed to post the haiku that he wrote for a class activity. Check it out at our student writing blog. Thanks, Felipe, and nice job!
Traditional haiku usually has 17 syllables in groups of three lines. However, many haiku poets are more flexible with their syllable counts. The typical number of syllables for haiku in English is, in fact, 10 - 14. Like Japanese haiku, however, this minimum amount of words to "show" an image more than "tell" is purposely meant to be vague and unclear, while conveying a message that is rich and profound.
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| Felipe Ramirez Bautista |
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