How to Write a Haiku Poem

A Haiku is a short poem consisting of three lines. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line has 5 syllables.

The basic structure of a Haiku poem looks like this:

5 Syllables
7 Syllables
5 Syllables

In many Haiku poems, the third line often points out an observation or makes a strong closing statement about the poem.

Here are some tips for writing your own Haiku poetry:

• Count the syllables of each word you use to make sure you stay within the syllable count for each line.
• A thesaurus can be useful for coming up with similar words with less/more syllables
• Your poem should not have a title
• Suggest, Don’t Tell – The best haiku poems leave the meaning of the poem open to interpretation
• Avoid the use of verbs – Most haiku poems do not use verbs or adverbs, but rather descriptive nouns and adjective
• Study Haiku examples to give you some ideas on how to write and structure your own poem.

Writing Haiku can be a lot of fun and can be a great exercise in writing poetry when you need a little inspiration. Do you have any tips on how to write a Haiku poem? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!