Ideas in Creative Writing – Haiku Construction: Short, Sweet, and Structured – The Haiku is Wonderfully Expressive

Haiku is probably one of the most well recognized structures of poetry in the modern era – primarily due to it's simplicity and intuitive nature. Haiku originated in Japan and is typically associated with nature, a change of seasons, and imagistic allusions – although in our postmodern world the haiku really ends up being a basic wireframe for understanding good metre and verse in a condensed fashion.

Breaking the 5-7-5 Mould

Haiku is traditionally constructed with three particular lines, the first with five syllables, the second seven, and the final verse also containing five. In the Japanese language these syllables are judged differently and as such an English language Haiku is often noticably longer than it's Japanse counterpart. Consider the following Haiku as written by an anonymous Kamikaze pilot before undertaking their suicidal mission.

While the form actually scans as 8-4-8 in English, the meaning is hardly lost by this deviation from the convention - as a matter of fact the inclusion of an organic reference as well as to a season, spring, shows an excellent understanding of the form as a whole by the author. It is a beautiful poem and very touching, a visual image that is breathtakingly astute in it's comparison. While the convention may be 5-7-5, most contemporary poets who write Haiku do not abide by these strictures. It is entirely up to you, as a matter of personal preference.

The Strengths of Haiku

Haiku is very good at conveying emotion, the first verse often introduces a hypothetical situation or asks the reader for a consideration of a concept or to intuit a solution to a problem. The second verse describes, concisely but poetically, the metaphor or the image to be reflected upon – and finally the last verse cements this comparison or provides a contextual question. As an example of this empathic connection, please consider the following poems :

Note that these poetic situations are often solitary, reflective, and personal – as is the haiku penned by the kamikaze pilot used for illustration earlier. The best haiku are written from personal experience, snatched moments from memory that are put to paper for other people to imagine. Faded photographs of a boisterous kitchen party years ago, ringing laughter of your childhood friends underneath the bleachers at the old ballfield, a night last month when you stood on the patio and looked up at the stars, the moon, and all of the cosmic players – these are all good material for a personal and touching haiku.

The aim of writing and reading haiku is to express and reflect upon your experiences, your love, thoughts, beliefs, passions, and pain. By reading the poetry of others you better understand the world around you and appreciate both a fresh perspective as well as a shared memory, an intimate connection with the author or the subject material.

The copyright of the article Ideas in Creative Writing – Haiku Construction in Writing Poetry is owned by Nicholas Morine. Permission to republish Ideas in Creative Writing – Haiku Construction in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Jan 16, 2009 9:33 PM

Guest :

Can you tell me please - is this a haiku?

Cherry fruit hang
from slender neck
Your kiss I blush

Brenda V Northeast 17th January 2009

Jan 17, 2009 6:13 AM

Nicholas Morine :

Brenda :

While your poem does not follow the traditional 5-7-5 mould and thus conservative thought would not frame your work as a haiku - you could certainly portray it that way.

I would suggest, if I may, that you add a few things. I would suggest

Cherry fruit hanging
From a rosé, slender neck,
At your kiss, I blush

You both fit 5-7-5 this way AND draw a more focussed image.

Sep 15, 2009 11:39 PM

Guest :

Hi Nicolas me again- may I ask you about this haiku please? And thank you for your help with the other haiku below.
My plot is it a
Garden a story or where
I last lay my head?
Brenda V Northeast

Sep 16, 2009 7:21 AM

Nicholas Morine :

Brenda :

Thank you for your continued interest!

I like your new work. Very traditional obviously with the 5-7-5.

My personal take on the poem is that it works in conveying your point, but I would use the tiny space of a haiku to frame a mental image of your garden and connect it to the notion of home.

Your question contained in the haiku is obviously a rhetorical one - the speaker obviously considers the plot of land to be both a garden and a home. As such, I would remove the space you are using in order to construct this poem as a rhetorical question (is it) (or where) and perhaps try something more like...

My home, bright garden
Night story, restful and warm,
Where I lay my head.

Just something like this - more evocative of emotion, warmth, the comfort and safety of home accented with images of a bright garden and a warm, restful home during the nighttime.

All those syllables you have used on (is it a) and other connecting words can be squeezed harder - use those syllables to convey images and thoughts!

Great idea, I still like your execution, but if you want my suggestion on how to make it sing, there it is.

Thanks again for your continued readership Brenda,

Nicholas

Oct 21, 2009 6:30 PM

Guest :

I'm trying to do a demonstrative speech on how to write a haiku but im not to sure on all the factors needed to write one besides the 5-7-5 syllables and i know they are usually in reference to a season. not really sure how to get people's attention about them as I start my speech