A brief collection of slides with thoughts from modern haiku-writers on the essential elements of haiku.

1. Defining Haiku thoughts and examples

2. "Haiku is simply noticing, noting, and recording moments that are happening around us all the time--moments that make us wake up and see and appreciate the world around us more.We need to slow down, even for a few minutes, with whatever is in our sphere." Patricia Donegan

3. long walk — cherry petals stick to the bottom of my shoes Patricia Donegan

4. For me, haiku must be brief and image-centered, and devoid of overt metaphor or simile. Haiku should show what the poet experienced that made him or her have a certain response, and if the poet has done a good job, the reader has a similar response when reading the haiku. Penny Harter

5. nightfall — the coolness of dirt between toes Penny Harter

6. To appreciate a garden, a haiku, or anything else in life, it is important to ease my grip on goals, to slow down and take notice. Each haiku is an invitation to pause and take a look around. Christopher Herold

7. first light everything in this room was already here Christopher Herold

8. Haiku poets, as all poets, should feel free to use the haiku in whatever way seems appropriate to their creativity. There were never any rules, just fashions and preferences. To be somewhere and write about it, that is what haiku is. Edith Shiffert

9. In all directions small mountains hiding the view while being the view. Edith Shiffert