Portfolio Haiku Photography

A Haiku, or a Hokku as it can be known, is a Japanese poem that can be based on many themes, from love to nature. The Haiku has since been adapted for English and many famous authors have tried their hand at this short poem.

It usually contains a total of 17 syllables shared between three lines, arranged in a pattern of 5-7-5. The first line consists of 5 syllables, the second line 7, and the last line another 5 syllables.

Originally, in Japanese, Haiku poetry was measured in sounds, or “breaths,” not English syllables. The 5-7-5 approach was a rough approximation to get the same feel as the traditional Japanese poems. The 5-7-5 form is still popular today and many poets still embrace the framework.

Matsuo Basho is one of the most prolific Haiku writers. He wrote over 1000 Haiku poems in his lifetime. His “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” is the most famous collection of Haikus in Japan. His poems were originally written in Japanese and have been translated to English for us all to enjoy, here is one which goes with my haiku photo of the butterfly:

The butterfly is perfuming