Haiku is a three-line poem with a 5-7-5 syllable structure that originated in Japan as 17-syllable verses opening renga linked poetry chains. It focuses on vividly capturing a moment or scene, often connected to the seasons, with concise language and subtle emotional resonance. Some of the most famous haiku poets were Matsuo Basho in the 17th century, Buson and Issa in the 18th century, and Masaoka Shiki in the 19th century, who helped popularize the term "haiku" and introduced new styles. Haiku is influenced by Shintoism's worship of nature spirits and Zen Buddhism's emphasis on brevity and meditation.

1. HAIKU by peter van der meulen

2. A haiku is a three line poem consisting of 5–7–5 syllables for example: the/ ca/the/dral/ bell (5) is sha/king/ a / few/ snow/flakes (7) from/ the/ mor/ning/ air (5) -Virgilio

3. HISTORY Haiku evolved from tanka (short poems) 31 syllable poems structured 5-7-5-7-7 developed by court poets in the Heian period (794-1185). These tanka were externded into renga (linked verses). Renga were written in groups with a hokku (opening verse) of 17 syllables (5-7-5) which established a seasonal setting or mood around which the remainder of the poem was fashioned.

4. Four concepts intrinsic to a true haiku… kigo kireji yugen & kyo

5. kigo - a word suggesting a season

6. kireji - a cutting word such as ya… a moment to meditate

7. yugen - lies beneath the surface… touches the heart

8. kyo – become one with the object… do not impose yourself on it -Bashõ

9. The original Japanese exhibits the 5-7-5 structure. The translation most often does not. furuike ya the old pond kawazu tobikomo a frog jumps in mizo no oto the sound of water -Bashõ -Bashõ .

11. hanamori ya blossom guards shiroki kashira o their white heads tsukiawase facing each other -Kyori -Kyori (Basho disciple )

13. There are four pre-eminent haiku poets… Matsuo Bashõ Yosa Buson Kobayashi Issa & Masaoka Shiki

14. MATSUO BASHÕ 1644-1694

15. Matsuo Bashõ 1644-1694 Airy spirituality Related consciousness and nature Objectively represented charged moments of real experience

16. the winter storm hid in the bamboo grove and quieted away -Bashõ

18. YOSA BUSON 1716-1783

19. Yosa Buson 1716-1783 By treating haiku images in a painterly style, highlighted imaginative expression

20. komu na yo ga will it come again. . . mata mo aro ka another night like this one tsuki ni kari wild geese and the moon -Buson -Buson

22. KOBAYASHI ISSA 1763-1827

23. Kobayashi Issa 1763-1827 Childlike identification with nature and human behavior Provided poetic experience accessable to common man.

24. the snail climbs Mount Fuji slowly. . .slowly -Issa

26. MASAOKA SHIKI 1867-1902

27. Matsuoka Shiki 1867-1902 First modern haiku poet Introduced witty tone and mental play Popularized term haiku

28. write me down as one who loved poetry and persimmons -Shiki

30. going out of the house ten paces and the vast autumn sea -Shiki

32. a school of trout swam by the color of the water -Shiki

34. the peony made me measure it with my fan -Issa

36. the moon in the water broken and broken again still it is there -Choshu

38. to pluck it a pity to leave it a pity ah. . .this violet -Naojo

40. on the sandy beach footprints. . . long is the day of spring -Shiki

42. Japan’s two main religions. . . Shintoism and Zen Buddhism. . . are both expressed through Haiku.

43. Shintoism which worships kami – the spirits of nature.

44. how art begins rice planting songs in the deep interior -Bashõ

45. oh butterfly. . . what are you dreaming fanning your wings -Chiyo-ni

47. Zen Buddhism which strives for nirvana through meditation.

48. snow has melted on one shoulder of the great Buddha -Shiki

49. from the nose of the colossal Buddha a swallow emerges -Issa

50. a clear waterfall into the ripple fall green pine needles -Bashõ

52. Roses. . . the flowers are easy to paint the leaves difficult -Shiki

54. “ I make my appearance I. . . the toad emerge from my thicket.” -Issa

58. As with all genuine art, a true haiku is a clarification of experience.

59. Class contemplating Japanese art in springtime Inspirational -ART 221-001

60. Thank you, for your time. -Peter

107. Through haiku we are released into nearness.

116. the first snow the leaves of the daffodils are just bending -Bashõ