We have several haiku poets in our community and likely others that would be interested in rising to the challenge, so we’re sharing here how to write a haiku poem. In addition, we’ll provide a few haiku prompts to help jumpstart your own creative ideation.
You may also glean ideas for practicing haiku writing as you scroll through the samples of haiku. Through observation will will notice how the essence of haiku essence is to capture a moment in time using sensory language poignantly placed in the traditional 5-7-5 pattern.
WARNING: Haiku is Addictive!
If you already know how to write a haiku, then you’ll know it can be addictive. Haiku is a bit like word puzzles, they’re intriguingly captivating as they engage you to figure out the best words to convey the essence of the subject.
I wrote poetry all through my teen years, but other than that, I’m not a poet yet found myself thinking in haiku phrases. It began with an intriguing or relevant word, that I then put into a sentence.
Voila! It was five syllables, (the first line of a haiku)! Hmm… what could come after that in seven syllables (the second line of a haiku)? The words flowed. This was fun! Then of course, I had to finish it with the final and third five syllable sentence.
If you’re new to Haiku, give it a go. Haiku is fun and creative, while providing a short and simple structure within which to create. Chances are you’ll soon be creating haiku through observation of the essence of virtually everything that comes your way, and especially nature.
How to Write a Haiku
There’s more than one way to write a haiku, and in fact, while the haiku format has morphed into the most popular version, many of the early Japanese Haiku poets did not follow those rules. However, the perceived ambiguity is likely due in part to the different language transliterations, where the Japanese word for the English equivalent, may not be the same number of syllables.
For our purposes here, which is to get you writing some form of poetry in the haiku format, we’re covering the most common two haiku formats in use today. The tradition, which is 3 lines, and 17 syllables, arranged as 575-17, and the modern haiku which is still three lines but in varying syllables.
What is the Plural of Haiku?
One thing to note is that the word haiku is both singular and plural. So while it’s tempting to write it as ‘haikus” when referencing writing haiku, the Japanese language doesn’t pluralize as English does. Therefore, like certain English words such as deer, sheep, lamb, fish, etc., the noun, haiku should not be written with an “s”.
Traditional Haiku Rules – (just 4):
- 3 lines
- 17 syllables
- 5 syls in line 1
- 7 syls in line 2
- 5 syls in line 3
- Punctuation is optional and personal choice
- Traditionally no titles
- Written with a focus on nature
Modern Haiku Rules – (just 1):
- 3 lines
- the rest is optional
Haiku Stimulates Poetic Ideation
Haiku poems are great for prompts and idea starters for all sorts of creating. Perhaps the allure is partly because it’s just three short lines, with the added challenge of only so many syllables. Then it doesn’t become a chore but rather a refined constraint of time, space and quantity, such that it seems immensely doable and yet also teasingly tempting to try.
A haiku can be as alluring as a crossword puzzle left on a table with a sharp pencil.
Traditional Haiku Poem Examples 5-7-5
Crossword Puzzle Haiku
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
A crossword puzzle.
Sharpened pencil awaits you.
Have to stop and try.
Haiku – Positively Addictive
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
A Haiku addict.
Thinking in five, seven, five
Three lines, seventeen.
Haiku Format
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
Haiku has four rules.
Three lines with five-seven-five
Seventeen syls all.
Haiku is Good Writing Training
As poets and writers, haiku poems are excellent at training us to say more in fewer words. Similar to the infamous “Six word story”, wrongly attributed to Ernest Hemingway, haiku captures the essence of an idea, thing or concept.
As readers and art appreciators, haiku helps us sharpen our perceptions and develop conceptual awareness. Haiku helps us think more deeply and expansively and provide fuel for the imagination.
3 Haiku Prompts
- The first line of this first prompt is written for you:
- “Once in a blue moon…”: (it’s 5 syllables and in keeping with the blue moon at the time of this first writing, on Halloween 10/31/20). What will follow for you?
- Haiku about the moon
- Haiku about Halloween
Traditional Haiku Rules (refresher):
- 3 lines
- 17 syllables, arranged as:
- 5
- 7
- 5
MORE EXAMPLES OF HAIKU – Alphabetically by Subject
Most of these Haiku Poems are contributions from the iCreateDaily Facebook Group and email community in response to the prompts listed above.
NOTE: Traditional haiku don’t have titles but we’ve provided them here to organize them by topic and to help the reader find their category of interest.
AUTUMN HAIKU POEMS
Fall Haiku
Stella Myers, writer, poet
Once in a blue moon,
leaves fell over snowmen’s smiles,
yellow leaves and snow.
Harvest Moon
Harvest moon has gone
~Shannon Billings Schofield, author writer, beekeeper
Relinquishing summertime
Autumn’s breeze will fill the air
Halloween Haiku
Once in a blue moon
Beth Murphy, haiku & tanka poet
Jack o lanterns grin brightly
The veil is lifted
Halloween Haiku background: The Celts believed the veil between the two world (living and dead) was the thinnest on Oct.31st- Nov.1st.
Indian Summer Lament
~Beth Murphy, haiku & tanka poet
Take ice cream’s last lick
bulky sweaters minimize
the season’s behind
BIRTHDAY HAIKU
Happy birthday, Mom!
Amanda Fritsch, owner, Dolly Rock Farm & Fiber
This is your birthday Haiku;
was it obvious?
BLUE MOON HAIKU
Blue Moon Halloween Haiku
Once in a blue moon
Beth Murphy, haiku & tanka poet
Jack o lanterns grin brightly
The veil is lifted
Background: The Celts believed the veil between the two world (living and dead) was the thinnest on Oct.31st- Nov.1st.
Heart and Blue Moon
Once in a blue moon
~Shannon Billings Schofield, author writer, beekeeper
Heart harvests the energy
Delighting my soul
Romance Haiku and Blue Moon
Once in a blue moon,
Susannah Holman, artist, poet, crafter
he kisses me and I swoon.
Aging love feels new
Fall Blue Moon Haiku
Once in a blue moon,
Stella Myers, writer
leaves fell over snowmen’s smiles,
yellow leaves and snow.
COFFEE HAIKU
Morning magic beans
Beth Murphy, Haiku poet, writer
Awaken my sweet slumber
With your keen focus
Gardener / Gardening Haiku
A Gardener’s Haiku
Keyboards before me,
barefoot on the fertile patch,
anticipation.
LOVE HAIKU
Love is the Purpose.
~LeAura Alderson, writer, editor, creator iCreateDaily.com®
To create brings love to life.
Love and light transforms.
MINDSET HAIKU
Daily Effort
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
Mind power succeeds
Combined with daily effort
Focus your vision.
Own It
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
You are the Owner.
Mind Power the Manager.
Will Power Employed.
PANDEMIC HAIKU
Pandemic Haiku
Jill Jeffrey, poet
I choose joy today
Pandemic worries begone
Looking for the best
RAIN HAIKU
Rain
Sally Kirkpatrick, retired teacher, writer, poet
Again Portland rains
Fern evergreen mushroom streams
Winter hearths aglow
RELIGIOUS HAIKU
As Jesus’ light shines
Louise DeBell, writer, speaker
Peace comes in love and honor
Show our gratitude
ROMANCE HAIKU
Love Haiku
Susannah Holman, artist, poet, crafter
Once in a blue moon,
he kisses me and I swoon.
Aging love feels new
Date Night
Linette Jensen, artist
Wednesday is date night.
Dinner and some foot rubs,
mid week reconnect.
SPRING HAIKU
Spring garden dreaming
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
Shaking off winter slumber
Daffodils appear.
Spring Crocus Haiku
~Shannon Schofield, poet, writer, gardener
Crocus whispering
To my hungry ears today
Spring will be here soon
Find more spring haiku here.
STAR HAIKU
Star
Beth Murphy, Haiku poet, writer
Small above the moon
Serendipitous stargaze
Point our way back home
SUCCESS HAIKU
Success isn’t chance
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
Show up daily, do the work
You’ll never regret
SUNRISE HAIKU
Newness of the day
Beth Murphy, haiku & tanka poet
Bursting forth reassurance
Light follows the dark
WINTER HAIKU
Winter – Will It Fit?
Susannah Holman, artist, poet, crafter
Now the fire is lit;
Will my winter clothes still fit??
This is on my mind.
Winter Lament
Susannah Holman, artist, poet, crafter
Now the fire is lit;
Will my winter clothes still fit??
This is on my mind.
Top Feature Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
Haiku not easy.
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®
Anything new takes practice.
Do if you care to.
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Hello! I’m LeAura, owner and co-creator of iCreateDaily.com®. As an autodidactic philosopher, generalist, personal development advocate, entrepreneur, writer, editor, author, ideator, media publisher, and podcaster, I’m passionate about helping others achieve their best possible life! Our small family of entrepreneurs, writers, investors, educators and creators own and run websites around topics we enjoy, such as gardening, health and fitness, creativity and pets, with more to come.
While my greatest teacher is Life… my formal training includes certifications in mediation, fitness, and strategic intervention coaching, including marriage and family. Today, the synergy of creating websites, articles and podcasts, brings together all my favorite things: family, learning, growth, creating, connecting and contributing. To share these with you is a privilege, that serves my lifelong aspiration to help others.
My personal areas of creativity are in writing, masterminding, ideation, synthesis and bringing ideas to life through business and entrepreneurship, all with a pervasive spiritual foundation with a focus on elevating the lives of others.
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