Poetry is a way of transmitting, with words, the beauty, emotions or vision of the world that the author has.

There are many different types of poetry, but one is especially minimalist and powerful: the haikusome ancient Japanese poems that obtain the maximum meaning with the minimum words.

What are haiku?

Haikus are a traditional form of Japanese poetry characterized by having a concise structure and using imaginative language to convey meaning. image of a moment or a feeling.

The traditional haiku or traditional Japanese short poems have a very simple structure. In general, they consist of three verses without rhyme of 5, 7 and 5 syllablesadding a total of only 17 syllables per poem, a challenge to transmit powerful feelings or emotions to the reader.

This is why the language usually used in haikus, although it seems simple, is also so vivid and evocative that creates an image in the mind of whoever reads it and is often based on suggestions rather than direct sentences, to allow let the reader himself fill in the gaps from their own experiences and emotions.

A central characteristic of this type of poem is that They are usually built around two ideas or images that the author wants to relate.

Haikus and nature

Nature is a central theme in traditional haikus. The poems seek to evoke the feeling of beauty and transience of nature (and also life). They often also do reference to the seasonsto better place the mental image in the reader.

The simplicity and the fact of not using rhymes or overloaded language seek to When reading it let’s focus on the images and the moment which is described rather than in the sound and musicality of the words.

Convey emotion with few words

Beyond the scenes of nature they reflect, haikus also try to capture and transmit human emotionsand behind such seemingly simple words, a great meaning is usually hidden.

Using vivid images that evoke sensory experiences, haikus create a snapshot of a feeling, much like a photograph captures a visual moment.

Their brief structure requires precision so that each word contributes to the emotional impact, which makes haikus a evocative and concise reflection of human emotions.

Somehow haikus manage to capture the relativity of the present moment and the essence of the human soul. In this sense, his writing can be considered a meditative practiceas can also the effect it produces on those who read them, who can receive the haiku as an instant of revelation or open consciousness.

21 Japanese haikus to enjoy and reflect

We have collected some of the most beautiful haikus from famous authors so you can enjoy a moment of peace and beauty.