The Magic of Haiku

Haiku is a Japanese verse consisting of 17 syllables arranged in three groups of five, seven, and five. Founded in the Zen Buddhist philosophy of simplicity and disregard of the extraneous, the form is intended to express a sensation of a specific moment of life.

After rain all clear -
for just seconds the light scent
of hawthorn flowers.

The poet who raised the Haiku form to its highest level was Matsuo Basho. A son of a low-ranking samurai, Matsuo Munefusa (1644-1694) lived in a modest hut in a rustic area of Edo (now known as Tokyo). A local resident planted a banana tree near the hut as a gift to his poetry teacher. Soon the teacher came to be known as the Master of the Basho ("banana tree") Hut, or simply Master Basho. The poet was happy to accept the nickname and used it for the rest of his life.

Japanese Haiku	English Translation
Basho nowaki shite	A banana tree in autumn -
tarai ni ame o	listen to the rain dripping
kiku yo kana.	into a basin at night.

The most popular poetic form in Japan since Basho, haiku became widely appreciated around the world in the 20th century. It inspired many artists, from the Ecuadorian poet Jorge Carrera Andrade to the Scottish composer Thea Musgrave. The challenge of conveying a vivid impression in only 17 syllables has given rise to numerous clubs, journals, and international contests. The Haiku Society of America was founded in 1968.