Haiku

Haiku (jap. 俳句) is a short form of Japanese poetry in three phrases, typically characterized by three qualities:

  1. The essence of haiku is kiru (cutting). This is often represented by the juxtaposition of two images or ideas and a kireji (cutting word) between them.
  2. Traditional haiku often consist of 17 syllables, in three phrases of 5, 7, and 5.
  3. A kigo (seasonal reference) with topics such as season, heaven, earth, humanity, observances, animals, or plants.