How to Write Haiku

10 Jan

By Samantha Pardo Irigoyen

Let’s go back to school and find out…

The origins of haiku are the only thing everyone can agree on in regards to haiku. The Poetry Foundation summarises that haiku derived from a longer Japanese collaborative poetry form called renga. The opening of this collaborative piece was called a hokku, and was a means of setting the poem in a time and place, often using seasonal words and images. Eventually this opener was appreciated as its own art form, and developed by the likes of Basho and Buson. It was only since about the 1900’s that this form entered the Western literary world, and since then has offered an escape from the long-winded poetry forms commonly used in Western poetry.

As a poet who only recently transitioned to this form of writing, I was quickly confronted with the realization that every poet has a different understanding of what it means. Even the British Haiku Society stated that anywhere “haiku has established itself… you will find people hallmark it differently.”

I first learned about haiku when I was 13 years old, and although my English lesson remains a blur, the one thing cemented into my brain regarding haiku was the famous 5-7-5 syllable count “rule.” We were assigned a project to create a book of 50 poems, and out of all 50 there is only evidence I attempted haiku once… and even then, got it completely wrong:

School can help you,

Provide an education,

And help you succeed.

Though quite embarrassing to share, it’s evidence of my early attempts at writing haiku. It also serves as a snapshot into my Mathematic test scores in school, as I terribly and inaccurately counted syllables. Nevertheless, this is how haiku was taught in school: syllable count being of utmost importance.

For entertainment purposes, what if I were to rewrite this haiku now, 17 years on, and as an established haiku poet and editor?

To begin, the decades old “rule” of 5-7-5 syllable count will be tossed out. While haiku traditionally did follow a 5-7-5 rule, it was not syllables, but sounds. Michael Dylan Welch has a wonderful article on mora, and syllable versus sound counts in Japanese haiku (link below). We also believe that if you are solely focusing on the syllable count, and not the intended imagery, you are missing the point. This “rule” can still be useful in crafting the idea for your haiku, but I have read many wonderful haiku that prove this “rule” is not necessary to bring forth fantastic work. Now, onto the revision.

The main setting of my haiku will be of school. The amazing thing about choosing this backdrop for our haiku, is the many diverse images we can conjure up of school from our youth. For me, I will choose to focus on the school yard, after all the students have gone to their classrooms.

Most haiku contain a kigo, or a seasonal word, that instantly set the haiku in a time and place— allowing the poet a luxury of time and space in this short writing form. Kigo such as: cherry blossoms, fireflies, falling leaves, or even frost; all only happen once a year or for a very limited time within a year.

My kigo will be a “late bell.” While I know that this may seem unorthodox, we know that school itself is a seasonal experience. By using a different kigo like the “late bell,” we can assume that this poem is taking place sometime between Autumn and late Spring, and in the early morning.

Another word to keep in mind in crafting our haiku will be our kireji, which roughly translates into cutting word. This kireji is a word, sound, or other general break that infuses a pause into the moment being discussed. Many poets will emphasise this pause with an ellipsis or hyphen. For my haiku (I will try to keep this haiku short and sweet), my kigo will also double as my kireji. Specifically the “bell,” will act as our cutting word. Many of us have heard a school bell chime, and even if we haven’t heard a school bell, we have all paused in our lives to listen to a bell. This kireji will give the reader a pause in our haiku, before we move into another image in the moment this haiku focuses on.

Haiku are typically broken into two images or thoughts within a single moment, and can focus on peacefulness, and reflection; oftentimes using our above listed kireji to provide juxtaposition in our piece. In keeping with our school theme, we will use a “school yard” for our next visual. Although, schoolyards in general were always a boisterous place, I chose to address it a different way seeing as haiku is typically a peaceful genre.

Another important element of haiku is that of nature. Even in urban environments, nature still manages to creep into our everyday lives. For this, we can add a different, maybe under appreciated animal to this poem— pigeons. Our “late bell” having rung, should mean the schoolyard would be empty, and all of the students should be in their respective classrooms. But what if instead, it was still full… of pigeons.

This allows the piece to shift the readers attention, realizing that the activity of the students continues on in the form of pigeons now making use of the vacated space.

Given the length of haiku, every word is important. Every word should have a specific purpose, yet light enough to not dwell on for the remainder of the piece. Pigeons, which are highly adaptable, and throughout history, have been found living side-by-side with humans— serve as the perfect natural companion to what would otherwise be an abandoned urban space. With our scene, characters, and actions in place we can now craft a fun, playful haiku in the spirit of school:

late bell

the schoolyard full

of pigeons

The timeless beauty of haiku is being able to reinterpret the same piece in different ways, every time you read it. Depending on your mental and emotional state, the message you receive from this piece can mean different things to you. For this poem, the readers mind fills with questions, yet allows them to feel content with the outcome, even if their questions aren’t fully answered.

Haiku, to me, are about mindfulness. Each moment clear and concise, with vivid imagery thoroughly embedded; each word cleverly chosen for maximum effect. Finally, the reader should never be left with a deep philosophical question, but instead should feel fully content with this snapshot in time.

How to Write Haiku

By Samantha Pardo Irigoyen

You are a poet.