How to Make a Haiku Poem: A Beginner’s Guide (With Examples!)

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Haiku poetry made easy for kids or adults
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If you like the idea of making a profound impact in just a few words, haiku might be the perfect poetry form for you. A haiku (俳句 pronounced similarly to "high-koo") is a short, 17-syllable poem broken into 3 lines, meant to be read in a single breath. The most important thing about a haiku is that it captures and conveys a sensory image of a single moment in time, leaving the reader feeling enlightened and illuminated. Read on to learn everything you need to know to write a powerful haiku poem of your own—plus, we’ve interviewed professional writer Alicia Cook for tips on brainstorming, titling, and overcoming writer’s block while writing poetry.

Writing Haiku Poems

To write a haiku poem, craft three unrhyming lines of poetry: include 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second, and 5 syllables in the third. Your poem can be about anything, but haiku usually reflect on a personal insight based on an observation, often related to nature.

Section 1 of 6:

Easy Steps to Write Haiku Poems

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  1. Since most traditional haiku talk about nature, a walk in nature is a good way to brainstorm ideas. Observe your surroundings silently, absorbing everything around you. Take a notebook and a pen with you so you can write down your observations, or record your observations using the Notes app on your smartphone. If nature isn't available to you, look at photographs or videos of nature instead. [1]
    • You can also meditate to orient yourself in the present moment, since a haiku is a moment captured and conveyed in the present tense (as it’s happening).
    • Focus on your breath to bring yourself into the present moment, then quietly observe the world around you. Really immerse yourself in the moment, absorbing every detail you can. [2]
    • It can help to look at the big picture and then think of "zooming in" on a single thing and capturing every possible sensory detail associated with it. For example, you might be looking out at a forest and focus on a single leaf falling.
    • Don't want to write about nature? That's technically a senryū , which follows the same basic structure, but is more about humanity than nature. [3]
  2. Continue your brainstorming by cobbling together a written list of all of the things that you’ve seen, observed, and felt during your nature walk or meditative experience. Write down as many things as possible that you see—a haiku can come from even the tiniest observation. [4] For example, if it's fall, you might notice that the leaves are falling from the trees around you. Go smaller! A single leaf falling. A single leaf quivering on a branch before getting taken to the ground by a gust of wind.
    • If you’re feeling a bit of writer’s block, Cook recommends moving your body or engaging your brain in some way. “Listen to music, read, go outside, or experience new scenery,” offers Cook. “Sometimes even walking into Home Depot and looking at the paint samples and seeing these poetic poetic paint names can inspire me…Find an environment that encourages [your] creative flow.”
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  3. Moving down your list of observations, write a single phrase or list of words associated with each one that evoke the five senses. For example, if one of your moments is a single leaf falling, you might list words such as "brown," "crunchy," and "dry."
    • You can also use seasonal words, temperature words, and weather words. Phrases that talk about the light, the atmosphere, or the length of the day can also reflect the season to your readers. [5]
    • To continue our example of a single leaf falling, you might write down seasonal words such as "crisp," "cool," "harvest," and "dusk."
    • Stick to shorter words, which have more versatility in the haiku format. Haiku poems also aren't supposed to rhyme, so you don't have to worry about that as you're trying to think of words. [6]
    • If you’re struggling to come up with the right language for your poem, Cook recommends “starting broadly with the concept. What do you want your poem to be about? Then, start shaping the words to fit that poem.”
  4. The essence of haiku is the juxtaposition of two distinct images to reveal a surprising or enlightening relationship between them. For your haiku, these two images can be literally anything on your brainstormed list. The important thing is that they are distinct from one another. [7]
    • For example, you might choose a leaf falling to the ground and a gust of wind as your two images.
    • The end of the second line of a haiku typically includes a "cutting word"—this is a Japanese concept that doesn't really exist in English, but you can think of this as a moment that pivots, or changes, your scene.
  5. The third line of a haiku relates the images conveyed in the first two lines to life or the world at large in an interesting and surprising way. Ideally, you'll come up with something that's thought-provoking and inspirational to your reader. [8]
    • For example, if your haiku is meditating on a single leaf falling to the ground, you might think about how beautiful the leaves are in the fall. They only get their colors because they're dying, though, and death is not something people normally consider beautiful. There's your surprise!
    • You can also use wordplay to create your surprise. Throwing in a pun takes your poem beyond its literal meaning to surprise and amuse your readers. [9]
    • Nothing in a haiku has to rhyme, but an unexpected rhyme could also fit the bill for the third line.
  6. A syllable is simply a unit of spoken language that consists of a single vowel sound. A traditional English haiku has 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, and 5 syllables in the third line. Watch how this might work with the fall leaf haiku example: [10]
    • In the first line, the leaf is still clinging to a branch of the tree. You might write, "Dry brown leaf quivers." That's 5 syllables, so there's your first line.
    • The second line features the moment of the gust of wind, which also serves as your "cutting word." You might write, "A sudden gust of wind blows."
    • Your third line surprises your reader by equating death with beauty. You might simply write, "Beauty in dying."
  7. Wait at least a few hours (preferably a day) after you draft your haiku to go back to it. Then, read it aloud several times to feel the rhythm. Take note of any stumbling or awkward spots—you'll need to fix those. Even if your haiku reads smoothly, there still might be better words you can use. A haiku is short, so every word counts! [11]
    • Ask yourself what each word is showing your readers, and if there’s another word that would do a better job. Are there any words that tell readers what to think or feel, rather than showing them? How can you show them the moment more directly?
    • Based on your observations, play around with words and images to improve the haiku and help it read more smoothly. You can see how this might go with the fall leaf haiku example:
      • In the first line, the word "quivers" is really evocative, so we definitely want to keep that. "Dry" and "brown" aren't exactly inspired, though. Perhaps if we changed the order? "Brown leaf dry quivers" seems more interesting and poetic.
      • The second line definitely has problems. "Gust of wind" is somewhat redundant, and "blows" seems totally unnecessary—what else does a gust of wind do, but blow? Try instead "A sudden gust; branches snap," which enables us to use the semicolon as your "cutting word."
      • The third line cleanly conveys a surprise, so we could leave it as it is.
  8. Traditionally, haiku are formatted with each line centered so that they form a diamond shape. Punctuation and capitalization are entirely up to you! The haiku form doesn't require anything specific, so you can use all lower-case letters with no punctuation at all if that's what you prefer. [12]
    • To follow through with our example, the final haiku would be:
      brown leaf dry quivers
      a sudden gust; branches snap
      beauty in dying
    • Haiku traditionally don't have a title. You might add a short one for clarification, but it's usually not necessary and will only detract from the impact of your poem.
    • If you do decide to add a title to your haiku but aren’t sure what you want that title to be, Cook suggests “showing the poem to a trusted colleague or friend and saying, ‘What pops out at you with that poem?’ [Your friend or colleague] might insert their own experience, but still tell us something from a different point of view.”
    • Speaking to her own experience as a poet, Cook goes on to share that she “likes titles of poems that add another line to the poem. So, [her] titles are…sometimes longer and actually take the poem in itself to another level.”
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Section 2 of 6:

Haiku Formatting Rules

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  1. To technically qualify as a haiku, a written poem has to follow a specific format. In English, haiku poetry is formatted into three concise lines without any rhyming structure: the first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third (and final) line has 5 syllables. That’s it! [13]
    • In the Japanese language, the haiku is formatted into one line and includes seventeen on (a Japanese phonetic unit similar to syllables).
    • Japanese haiku also include a kireji , or “cutting word,” that creates a pause or sense of closure—since English doesn’t have an exact equivalent for kireji , English haiku writers may use punctuation or onomatopoeia to emulate the kireji , but they may also omit it entirely.
Section 3 of 6:

Haiku Examples

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  1. Reading classic haiku poems may help you get a sense of form, structure, and thematic patterns. You'll write better haiku if you're familiar with haiku that are well-known and considered good examples of the form. When you read, focus on the imagery and the moment captured by the poem. Let go of the nit-picky desire to count syllables—just lose yourself in the image conveyed. Here are some to get you started:
    • The cry of the cicada
      Gives us no sign
      That presently it will die.
      — Matsuo Bashō [14]
    • The light of a candle
      is transferred to another candle—
      spring twilight.
      — Yosa Buson [15]
    • Fog enshrouds the night
      Woven in the heavy mist
      A thread of fireflies
      — Joe Tessitore [16]
    • How short is freedom
      gained by the cherry blossom
      released from the branch.
      — Germain Droogenbroodt [17]
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Section 4 of 6:

Next Steps: What to Do with Your Haiku Poems

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  1. Writing a haiku can be a totally personal experience, just for your own pleasure and to take a moment to ruminate on the world around you. However, if you’re interested in doing something else with your poem, you have a few options! You can exchange haiku with other poetically-inclined friends, copy haiku into cards and messages, or start your own journal of haiku poetry.
Section 5 of 6:

What is a haiku?

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  1. The haiku poem (originally known as hokku ) is a type of short-form poetry —the typical haiku only has three lines with a designated number of syllables in each one. Traditionally, haiku poems feature nature themes , discuss seasonal changes, and focus on a single moment in time with two juxtaposing images. They often depict a moment of insight or reflection. However, haiku have evolved over the centuries to allow for different types of subject matter and modern interpretations. [19]
    • Similarly, traditional haiku don’t rhyme. However, modern haiku poems may rhyme—but it’s up to the discretion of the author!
    • The earliest haiku have been traced back to the 14th century, with the term “haiku” first being used during the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Haiku poetry didn’t become popular in Western culture until the 20th century, when individuals like Ezra Pound and James Emanuel and many French and Spanish poets helped to popularize it.
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Section 6 of 6:

Frequently Asked Questions About Haiku Poems

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  1. The most common haiku themes are about nature and seasonal changes, since traditional haiku were centered around these themes. Over the centuries that haiku have been written, poets began to explore and write about other themes. While modern haiku can really be about any theme, they should center on a small moment and combine two opposing images for dramatic effect. [20]
  2. To follow traditional haiku structure, the poem (as written in English) must: [21]
    • Have exactly three lines
    • Have five syllables in the first and third lines
    • Have seven syllables in the second line
    • Not rhyme
    • Include a kireji , or “cutting word”
    • Include a kigo , or allusion to the time of year in which the poem takes place
  3. Haiku and senryū poems share an identical format but differ in theme. Traditionally, haiku are about nature, while senryū poetry focuses on human behaviors and limitations. The tone of a senryū is often humorous, cynical, or satirical. Senryū also do not typically contain a kireji (cutting word) or kigo (seasonal reference). [22]
    • However, modern haiku can revolve around numerous themes (including the human condition) and aren’t just limited to nature themes. Therefore, the line between senryū and haiku poetry has become blurred over the years.
  4. Matsuo Bashō’s “The Old Pond” is widely considered as the most famous haiku of all time. The haiku poem (which you can read below) captures a fleeting moment in nature where a frog jumps into a pond, suddenly disrupting the stillness on the surface of the water. The pond is often interpreted as representative of the mind, with the frog’s splash representing a sudden thought or realization. [23]
    • In Japanese: Furuike ya, kawazu tobikomu, mizu no oto.
    • English Translation:
      Breaking the silence
      Of an ancient pond,
      A frog jumped into water-
      A deep resonance.
    • Alternative English Translation:
      An old silent pond
      A frog jumps into the pond—
      Splash! Silence again. [24]
  5. Haiku are such a powerful form of poetry because they use the least amount of language to evoke a specific mood or moment. Since writers are limited to the number of words they can use, they must be concise and select the strongest and most evocative words. As a result, haiku are particularly impactful and paint vivid imagery. [25]
    • Haiku may also feel especially powerful because they focus on an enlightening observation and a brief moment in time. By cluing readers in on some tiny detail of life around them that may be overlooked, haiku often feel inspirational and weighty.
  6. A good haiku will usually be concise, use vivid imagery to capture a single moment in time, include concrete details, and have a subtle shift in the final line. The haiku should also (at least loosely) adhere to the 5-7-5 format and answer the where, when, and what of the observational moment featured in the poem. [26]
    • Most importantly, a good haiku should make you feel something. In just a few words, it should leave you with an impactful insight and maybe even some food for thought or reflection. Otherwise, “good” is really a subjective word, so a haiku that one person finds particularly evocative may seem meaningless to someone else.
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  • Question
    How could I write a Christmas haiku?
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    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
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    Since haiku are traditionally about nature, you'd want to start by thinking about some natural things that are typically associated with Christmas—holly, perhaps, or pine trees. Just make a big list of natural things. You might also think about seasonal words associated with winter, such as snow. And, of course, you could always include the word Christmas (or a synonym, such as yuletide) directly in your poem. Have fun!
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    What is the reason for the 5-7-5 syllable structure?
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    The short answer is that this is just how this particular poetry format evolved. However, despite what's often taught in Western schools, the 5-7-5 syllabic structure isn't a strict requirement of haiku. In fact, that structure doesn't even really equate to the original Japanese concept, which counts sounds rather than syllables.
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    Can Haiku have punctuation, such as a comma?
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    Yes, haiku can have any punctuation that's necessary or that improves the flow of the poem. Haiku don't need any sort of punctuation at all, though (or even capitalization, for that matter)—whether you include it is entirely up to you as the poet.
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      • The plural of haiku is haiku —there's no need to add an "s" onto it if you're talking about more than one.
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      • If you're writing a haiku for a class, try to stick closely to the 5-7-5 syllable format—your teacher will likely be pretty strict about that! But if you're just writing for yourself, don't worry about it too much—focus more on the content and message of the poem.
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      • While the haiku format that is most popular in the West is 5-7-5, haiku was actually written in a variety of meters, including 8-8-8 and versions that only use two lines.
      • Try not to use similes in haikus (comparisons with the words “like” or “as”).
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      References

      1. ↑ https://storyembers.org/how-to-brainstorm-a-topic-for-your-poem-when-youre-out-of-ideas/
      2. ↑ https://classicalpoets.org/2016/11/13/how-to-write-a-haiku-and-much-much-more/#/
      3. ↑ https://ideas.ted.com/i-wrote-a-haiku-every-day-for-a-week-heres-what-i-learned/
      4. ↑ https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/the_history_and_artistry_of_haiku
      5. ↑ https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/the_history_and_artistry_of_haiku
      6. ↑ https://www.bbcmaestro.com/blog/haiku-rules-for-poets
      7. ↑ https://classicalpoets.org/2016/11/13/how-to-write-a-haiku-and-much-much-more/#/
      8. ↑ https://classicalpoets.org/2016/11/13/how-to-write-a-haiku-and-much-much-more/#/
      9. ↑ https://tricycle.org/article/haiku-tips/
      1. ↑ https://powerpoetry.org/actions/how-write-haiku-poem
      2. ↑ https://tricycle.org/article/haiku-tips/
      3. ↑ https://powerpoetry.org/actions/how-write-haiku-poem
      4. ↑ https://opus.hope.edu/uncategorized/writing-and-meditating-on-the-haiku/
      5. ↑ https://poets.org/poem/cry-cicada
      6. ↑ https://poets.org/poem/light-candle
      7. ↑ https://classicalpoets.org/2021/09/05/the-21-best-haiku-of-2021/
      8. ↑ https://classicalpoets.org/2021/09/05/the-21-best-haiku-of-2021/
      9. ↑ https://www.hsa-haiku.org/mentors/Journal-Links.pdf
      10. ↑ https://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum210/coursepack/haiku.htm
      11. ↑ https://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum210/coursepack/haiku.htm
      12. ↑ https://japanhouse.illinois.edu/education/insights/haiku
      13. ↑ https://poetrysociety.org/poems-essays/on-poetry/senryu-the-haikus-comic-cousin
      14. ↑ https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/the_history_and_artistry_of_haiku
      15. ↑ https://www.readpoetry.com/10-vivid-haikus-to-leave-you-breathless/
      16. ↑ https://litreactor.com/columns/why-every-author-should-write-haiku.html
      17. ↑ https://www.pspoets.com/blog/2019/6/29/what-makes-a-good-haiku/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To write a haiku poem, write a poem that's 3 lines long and make sure each line has the right number of syllables. Give the first line 5 syllables, the second line 7 syllables, and the third line 5 syllables. Haikus are supposed to help people clearly visualize something, so use sensory details by describing how your subject feels, smells, tastes, looks, and sounds. Also, use the present tense when you're writing your haiku. For more information on how to brainstorm ideas for your haiku from our co-author with an MFA in Creative Writing, keep reading!

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