A haiku is a type of short form poetry that originated in Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases composed of 17 phonetic units (called on in Japanese, which are similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern; that include a kireji, or "cutting word"; and a kigo, or seasonal reference. The term haiku is derived from the first element of the word haikai (a humorous form of renga, or linked-verse poem) and the second element of the word hokku (the initial stanza of a renga) . The hokku, which set the tone of a renga, had to mention in its three lines such subjects as the season, time of day, and the dominant features of the landscape, making it almost an independent poem. The hokku (often interchangeably called haikai) became known as the haiku late in the 19th century, when it was entirely divested of its original function of opening a sequence of verse. Today, the term haiku is used to describe all poems that use the three-line 17-syllable structure, even the earlier hokku.
A haiku is a short, unrhymed poem that adheres to a specific three-line, seventeen-syllable format. The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables, and the third line is five syllables. Unlike other poems, haikus usually don’t rhyme. Haiku can come in various formats of short verses, and they often take inspiration from nature and the changing seasons.
In summary, a haiku is a type of short form poetry that originated in Japan and consists of three phrases composed of 17 phonetic units in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, including a kireji and a kigo. It is a short, unrhymed poem that adheres to a specific three-line, seventeen-syllable format, with the first line being five syllables, the second line being seven syllables, and the third line being five syllables.
