A successful haiku creates a mental or emotional
connection between poet and reader. A successful
haiku writer skillfully interlaces crucial
elements. Serious haiku poets strive to write
haiku with only as many words as are necessary
to relate the haiku experience with clarity and
rhythmic appeal—no more, no less.
An image in a haiku is a word or group of words
that creates a mental picture or
association. The best haiku use images that
evoke sensory responses. In other words, we
invite readers to mentally see, hear, smell,
taste, and touch. Haiku are immediate. It should
seem to readers that the haiku is occurring now.
Concrete imagery depicts actual things that are
part of real experiences. It refers to things
that are not philosophical or abstract, and it
is the "hook" in a successful haiku. Concrete
imagery generates sensory appeal. Sensory appeal
creates a connection between poet and reader.
To juxtapose two different things, we place them
side by side. In a painting for instance, we can
place a birdbath beside a sleeping cat or put a
snake next to flowers. In haiku, we do it with
words instead of brushstrokes:
moonflowers
the long, slow slide
of a rat snake
Effective juxtaposition is a vital element of
haiku. Most successful haiku contain two parts,
with a break between parts.
We focus effectively when writing haiku by using
distinct, uncluttered, clear imagery. The main
focus of a haiku is its center of interest or
activity. Every haiku must have a clear center
of interest as well as sharply focused imagery.
We must use common (ordinary) language when
writing haiku. A haiku does not acquire
resonance through the use of pedantic or
highfalutin expression. By the same token, we
should stick to natural syntax (natural pattern
of formation of phrases or sentences). The
language that comes naturally to us while
keeping within reasonable grammatical bounds
works best in haiku.
Season is traditionally an essential element of
haiku. A season word or phrase indicates the
time of year. There are two ways to include the
season. One way is to name it, and the other is
to use an image that lets readers infer the
season.
A good haiku evokes emotion or a sense of
discovery; however, the haiku poet does not tell
what a person or creature is feeling. Instead,
the writer shows his or her experience by using
../images that evoke mental pictures.
Musicality is an important element in every good
haiku. The rhythm of a haiku can enhance
interpretation and subtly influence the reader's
emotional response. In their eagerness to write
concisely, many beginning haiku poets end up
writing lists or they write in caveman talk. A
list poem simply lists different things, each
thing on a different line, with a break at the
end of each line. Caveman talk leaves out
articles, pronouns, and transitional words or
phrases that are needed to create smooth flow. A
grouping of words that combines a list with
caveman talk is especially unappealing:
hot day
hound chases squirrel
tall cypress
There are no carved-in-stone rules regarding
punctuation in English haiku. There are,
however, differences of opinion about it. Not
only must poets demonstrate clear focus when
writing haiku, they must allow their readers to
focus. There is no room in haiku for clutter
that may distract readers from the intuitive
connection. This is the guideline regarding
punctuation that makes the most sense to me: If
punctuation is not vital to the haiku's clarity
or meaning, leave it out. Following the same
logic, I advise against capitalization except
for proper nouns, the pronoun "I," and certain
abbreviations.
Many haiku poets find that it is much harder to
write exceptionally resonant haiku than it is to
write longer forms of Western poetry. A haiku's
success does not lie in the sentimental language
of other kinds of Western traditional
poetry. Wise haiku poets do not distract readers
by overtly revealing their own intellect and
emotions, or by telling readers what to
feel. Their goal is to combine real images in
such a way that readers can gain new insight or
make an emotional connection through intuition.
