Writing the Haiku

Haiku is 5-7-5 syllables and seems simple but is deceptively hard. The goal isn't syllable perfection; it's capturing a moment of insight. Traditional haiku includes a kigo (season word) and creates enlightenment through nature.

Bashō wrote "An old silent pond / A frog jumps into the pond / Splash! Silence again." A moment, a sound, then return. There's a volta—you don't expect the splash. The poem creates a whole world in 17 syllables.

Write dozens. Count syllables carefully. Don't try to write deep haiku; capture a specific moment and let depth emerge naturally. A haiku is a photograph, not an essay.