What are haikus? Introducing the short Japanese poems you didn’t know you wanted to read
‘When the winter chrysanthemums go,
There’s nothing to write about
But radishes’ (Bashō)
Though radishes sound fun, we have a lot to write about these short, witty poems originating from Japan.
Haikus are short poetry forms dating to as far as the 17th century. They are widely known for containing 17 syllables in three lines in a 5-7-5 pattern but that’s not all there is to them. The traditional haiku had three phrases- a kireji, 17 on and a kigo.
A kireji is a cutting word which holds the structural support of the verse, on are similar to what we call syllables in English, and a kigo is a seasonal reference. Kigo is usually the highlight of the haiku- it's something you must use. There are a variety of known kigo which are rooted in the Japanese culture. Like in the above haiku, winter chrysanthemums are the symbol.
But it’s not just direct words like spring, summer, winter; specific plants, animals, objects are symbols for certain seasons. For example, butterflies, frogs, flowers are known to represent spring. Moon is usually used as an autumn kigo.
These are just some overall rules, but it’s not a requirement to follow them. What makes haikus so interesting is what they try to convey. Through simple words, haikus try to make one attentive about what goes on around them. Most traditional haikus you’ll see are about nature, seasons. They are linked with the Zen philosophy- we humans are Nature.
Fig 1.1 Winter haiku
What these simple poems aim at is not flowery words or long descriptions of a place or event. They just introduce an idea, a setting but more of the part is left to one’s imagination. They propose a thought and let the reader brood over it. It is said that in these poems, the line between the subject and the object is blurred. This is the reason why one haiku can usually have varied translations, since not everyone deems the same things to be the main object of the piece.
Though later seen as an independent form of poetry, initially they were the opening stanzas of a larger poetry form called renga. Renga is another innovative form of poetry, it’s a collaborative poem! Alternating stanzas are co
mposed by different poets and linked together.
Basho, Buson, Issa, Shiki were the Japanese poets who developed and evolved haiku into what it is popularly perceived as. Eventually the haiku reached the west and it’s English, Spanish and Italian translations started getting published.
Fig 2.2 Portrait of Matsuo Basho
A GenZ way to introduce haikus would be what Rick Riordan did in his latest book series ‘The Trials of Apollo’. He shows the Greek god Apollo as a character who loves using haikus (you know, god of poetry) and to make it more fun- all the chapter titles are haikus too!
That’s how I found out about them to be honest. Reading haikus is kind of addicting, since they’re short and always leave you wanting more, so once you start there is no stopping.
- Mahi Shitut
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