Haiku, Limerick & Villanelle
Haiku A haiku is a short poetic form from Japan characterized by juxtaposition , seasonal imagery , and number of on , which are similar to syllables. The form has been adopted into other languages with a focus on the number of syllables; in English, haiku is a three-line poem with phrases of five, seven, and five syllables, respectively. However, in traditional Japanese haiku the most important element was the juxtaposition between different images with a transition via a “cutting word” (known as kireji in Japanese). This cutting word can change the stream of thought or provide a comparison between the different lines. It is similar to the concept of the volta in the sonnet form, or the audible pause in classical poetry known as the caesura . The word haiku comes from hokku , which is the opening verse of an older and longer Japanese poetic form called the renga. Beginning ...