Haiku is an ancient form of poetry that originated in Japan. In Japan, these poems are sometimes known as hokku. Haiku remains a popular form of poetry today.
Much like a snapshot, a haiku poem captures a moment in time. The main focus is usually a feeling or description. Traditional Japanese haiku typically describe nature, while English haiku include many different subjects.
A haiku contains 17 syllables in three lines of poetry. A syllable is a unit of language that consists of an unbroken sound used to make up words. For example, the word "cat" contains one syllable, "poem" contains two syllables, and "beautiful" contains three syllables.
The 17 syllables in a haiku are divided up in a particular way. The first line of a haiku contains five syllables. The second line features seven syllables. The last line returns to five syllables.
Unlike many other forms of poetry, haiku poems do not need to rhyme. For a challenge, though, some haiku poets will try to rhyme the first and third lines.
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