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A traditional Japanese haiku is a three-line poem with seventeen syllables, written in a 5/7/5 syllable count. Often focusing on images from nature, haiku emphasizes simplicity, intensity, and directness of expression.  Haiku began in thirteenth-century Japan.  In contrast to English verse typically characterized by meter, Japanese verse counts sound units known as “on” or morae. Traditional haiku consist of 17 on, in three phrases of five, seven and five on respectively.  Among contemporary poems teikei (定型 fixed form) haiku continue to use the 5-7-5 pattern while jiyuritsu (自由律 free form) haiku do not.

A Classic EXAMPLE:

An old pond!

A frog jumps in–

the sound of water.

 For more detailed information about Haiku, visit the website, 

HOW TO WRITE A HAIKU POEM:  http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Haiku-Poem