Simplicity in Haiku
Haiku’s are a seemingly simple form of poetry that follow simple mathematical rules and are generally written with nature in mind. The founder, Matsuo Basho, created a compressed form of poetry that “together with haiku’s injunction for plain language weeds our abstractions to unearth images that are fresh and clear.” (Chu, 217). Haikus have come and gone in many forms, but one of the more commonly known forms is the five-seven-five syllabic count. The simplicity of this form not only makes it easier to recognize, but also easier to write in my opinion. There are other forms of haikus like the rhythmic scheme that follows a beat pattern, but the five-seven-five syllable count is the most recognizable.
Haiku’s are also simple in the sense that they are typically written about nature and the seasons. They were traditionally written with a seasonal theme because “focusing on the seasons also allowed the poets to convey the experience of being embedded in the earth’s rituals and cycles” (Chu 217). While the form of the poem itself is very simple, the tone and intention behind it is much deeper. Original haikus were trying to get at the sense of people belonging in one place among all the other chaos of life and nature. Haikus pared down harsh reality into a simple and fresh perspective. “Masaoka Shiki” on page 222 follows the simple haiku form of the five-seven-five syllabic count and also is centered around nature.
Chu, Jean Hyung Yul. “Haiku.” An Exaltation of Forms: Contemporary Poets Celebrate the Diversity of Their Art. Eds. Anne Finch and Kathrine Varnes. Ann Arbor: U. of Michigan Press, 2002.
