culture corner: The Art of Haiku

fruike ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto
-Matsuo Basho

old pond...
a frog jumps in
the sound of water

---

Simple yet deeply philosophical, concise yet substantial, brief yet legendary, haiku convey a meaningful glimpse into a fleeting moment with such subtlety that they are often underappreciated.

These seemingly uncomplicated three-line poems have a complex history. For hundreds of years Japanese poets have been writing, redefining, and revolutionizing the art, and haiku has continually been caught in the battle between traditional and innovative ways of thought. Haiku originated from hakai no renga, a multi-verse poem with strict format and content rules. These poems had serious tones and dealt with such philosophical topics as the nature of humanity. In order to take a break from these heavy verses, poets of the day began writing more humorous and playful hokku (intro verses to hakai no renga). Eventually hokku were written and read as their own complete, individual poems, and in the 1890s the term “haiku” was officially coined.

Although the history of haiku technically began a little over 100 years ago, the great masters of this style of poem were creating them well before they were named. Matsuo Basho— widely believed to be the greatest haiku poet—wrote during Japan’s Edo Period (1600—1868). His profound ability to write haiku was so revered that he had his own school of disciples. Even now, his timeless poetry is studied and admired by readers.

The basic tenants of haiku today are no different than those traditionally observed. The haiku is a three-line poem composed in a 5-7-5 pattern, meaning that the first line has five syllables, the second seven, and the third five. A syllable by English language standards is different than its counterpart in Japanese. In haiku, a syllable is actually an on, or a sound. An on is counted for each change in sound; so often more are counted than syllables would be from an English language perspective. A haiku also contains a kigo (word referencing a season) and a kireji (cutting word or pause) equivalent to the English use of a comma, dash, or ellipse.

But don’t think that the time-honored haiku hasn’t found its place in today’s techno-savvy world. If you don’t have the time to meditate for hours on the perfect words to describe a leaf blowing in the wind, several websites boast automatic haiku generators where, with the click of a button, a reader can enjoy a uniquely created haiku. While these haiku are no more than a medley of random words, they do have the requisite syllabic count, which is enough, some argue, to qualify as true haiku.

So, whether you’re getting your haiku fix via the Internet or taking time to write your own ode to the natural beauty around you, remember that these poems are truly impressive pieces of Japanese art. Perhaps English author Reginald Horace Blyth (1898—1964) said it best: “A haiku is the expression of a temporary enlightenment, in which we see into the life of things.”

—Richenda Sandlin-Tymitz