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Haiku is a form of poetry with Japanese origins. Traditionally the haiku is about nature and related to a season.
The form of haiku most commonly seen in English has 17 syllables, with lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables respectively.
Thunder clouds rolling
Lightning forks divide the sky
Raindrops are falling
Because it is brief, the haiku should invoke a feeling, rather than telling the reader how to feel. Instead of saying "this is beautiful", it should provide images the reader will find beautiful. When you write a haiku, try to provoke an emotive response from your reader.
Unlike other poetry, the haiku does not have a title, because it should stand alone without the extra support of a title.
These are only basic guidelines for haiku. Many Japanese haiku are written in one line rather than three, and 17 syllables is often seen as a maximum number.
Anyone planning to write haiku seriously should read numerous examples of the form. If entering a contest or submitting for publication, check the guidelines of the publication to confirm their requirements.
In the meantime, composing haiku is a good exercise in discipline and creativity for any writer, and well worth trying.
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