How to Interpret a Haiku

Poetry has long been a venue of self-expression and many poets have found the natural world to be a source of infinite inspiration. The poets in Japan who brought the haiku form into existence were definitely among the writers who saw nature as something beautiful and wise. See the steps below to learn different ways to interpret this sometimes mysterious and always subtle poetry.

Instructions

1. Remember that haiku poems are extremely short. English haiku consist of a total of 17 syllables: 5 in the first line, 7 in the second, and 5 more in the last line. Japanese haiku poems in translation will appear much shorter than 17 syllables because the original haiku were written in Japanese and a set of 17 Japanese syllables usually makes up less words than a set of 17 English syllables.

2. Nature and the passing of time are often thematic elements of haiku. Typically, the poet makes a mention of a word referring to a season in a way to give solid reference to the blending of nature and time. In contemporary haiku, some poets are using urban imagery as a way to orient the poem; though this is not consistent with the original traditions of haiku, the effect is still remarkable.

3. Usually, haiku consists of a comparison of 2 different objects or notions. They are introduced with the briefest of images, as the poem is so short, and the challenge of the haiku poet is to work within a limited amount of words and syllables. A break at some point in the haiku indicates that a contrast is being made between the 2 ideas.

4. Though haiku is Japanese in origin, the poetry movement has grown in popularity around the world. Most contemporary haiku are written in Japan and English-speaking countries. Haiku seems to be an effective mode of communication between internet users, for example, and many websites dedicated to haiku have been formed.

5. The earliest haiku poets are documented as living during the 17th century in Japan. Some poets of distinction from this time period are Basho and Onitsura. Their works in translation exemplify the original spirit of the haiku. Contemporary non-Japanese writers and poets like Octavio Paz, W.H. Auden and even Jack Kerouac have used haiku to express their thoughts and emotions.