Notes on the form
What is haiku?
A brief poem of attention: an image, a moment, and often a turn between things.
A small poem with a wide field
Haiku began in Japan and now has many living traditions. In English, it is often a short poem that places the reader inside a particular moment rather than explaining what to feel.
Many haiku bring two images or perceptions into contact. The space between them—their resonance, contrast, or surprise—can carry as much meaning as the words themselves.
Attention before rules
Season, brevity, plain language, and a sense of immediacy are common qualities, but no single checklist defines every good haiku. Forms are useful ways of listening more closely, not tests to pass.