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Haiku (Japanese Poetry)
Haiku (俳句) is a mode of Japanese poetry, the late 19th century revision by
Masaoka Shiki of the older hokku (発句) the opening verse of a linked verse
form, haikai no renga. A traditional hokku consists of a pattern of
approximately 5, 7, and 5 morae, phonetic units which only partially
correspond to the syllables of languages such as English. It also contains a
special season word (the kigo) descriptive of the season in which the renga is
set. Hokku often combine two (or rarely, three) different elements into a unified
sensory impression, with a major grammatical break (kire) usually at the end of
either the first five or second seven morae. These elements of the older hokku
are considered by many to be essential to haiku as well, although not always
included by modern writers of Japanese "free-form haiku" and of non-
Japanese haiku. Senryu is a similar poetry form that emphasizes humor and
human foibles instead of seasons.
Haiku (俳句) is a mode of Japanese poetry, the late 19th century revision by
Masaoka Shiki of the older hokku (発句) the opening verse of a linked verse
form, haikai no renga. A traditional hokku consists of a pattern of
approximately 5, 7, and 5 morae, phonetic units which only partially
correspond to the syllables of languages such as English. It also contains a
special season word (the kigo) descriptive of the season in which the renga is
set. Hokku often combine two (or rarely, three) different elements into a unified
sensory impression, with a major grammatical break (kire) usually at the end of
either the first five or second seven morae. These elements of the older hokku
are considered by many to be essential to haiku as well, although not always
included by modern writers of Japanese "free-form haiku" and of non-
Japanese haiku. Senryu is a similar poetry form that emphasizes humor and
human foibles instead of seasons.