International Haiku Poetry Day

4 minute read
10 shares
haiku poetry day

A world of dew,

And within every dewdrop

A world of struggle.

-Kobayashi Issa

The lines above come together to what we call a ‘haiku’. Kobayashi Issa wrote these lines, which are well-known and well-celebrated as one of the best. Just notice how the short lines push our imagination to instantly draw a vivid picture, swimming in the meaning of the poetry before we know it. That’s the magic of haiku. A haiku is a form of Japanese poetry, which follows the rule of 5/7/5, wherein 5 syllables are used in the first line, followed by seven in the second line, and then again, five syllables in the third line. The structure of haikus is well-composed. It sheds light on how even in restrictions, true art blooms. International Haiku Poetry Day, on April 17, celebrates that. It is a day to honor this form of poetry that originated in Japan. 

Origin of Haiku Poetry Day 

Though the origin of haiku can be traced back to the 1800s when a famous Japanese poet namely Masako Shiki published a ‘Hokku’, which was later dubbed a ‘Haiku’. It was subsequently developed into an autonomous art form, by renowned names such as Ueshima Onitsuka and Matsuo Bash. Now how do we travel from that to a day in celebration of the poetry form, that is, Haiku Poetry Day? Well, this day was registered in 2007, by Sari Granstaff. And it was later implemented as a project in 2012, by The Haiku Foundation. It’s now celebrated every year on April 17, holding many types of events together.

Also Read: World Art Day 2023

Formation of a Haiku 

How is a haiku formed? With creativity and the set structure used to form a haiku. Let’s learn the same below. 

Why Celebrate Haiku Poetry Day? 

What is the relevance of celebrating this day? We share some insights below. 

  1. Haiku is creativity in its purest form. Celebrating the same with young writers helps them utilise their potential and reach newer heights!
  2. Haiku Poetry Day acts as a reminder that this medium encompasses greater than what high school teaches students. 
  3. Haiku Poetry Day goes into the celebration of the underlying depth, breadth, and width of imagination that Haiku prompts the readers to dive intimately into. 
  4. Haikyu Poetry Day celebrates the need for creative expression, including imaginative freedom. 
  5. The day further acts as a way to motivate writers to continue the life of this prolific Japanese art, so it doesn’t cease to exist. 
  6. Ultimately, this day works wonders to encourage young writers to continue their poetry in different forms.

How to Celebrate Haiku Poetry Day? 

How can one devise a way to celebrate Haiku Poetry Day? Through the following mentioned ways. 

  1. You can compose a haiku poem. 
  2. You can read about haiku poems and share the same with others. 
  3. You can procure a collection of haiku poems. 
  4. You can host a mini-haiku writing contest or workshop; or attend one. 
  5. You can look for the celebration of haiku poetry by attending exhibitions and participating in competitions. 
  6. Get to know about the HaikuLife Haiku Film Festival, and the Earthrise Rolling Haiku Collaboration. 
  7. You can take to social media and talk about haiku using the appropriate hashtags!

Interesting Facts about Haiku

Read about some interesting facts about Haiku! 

  1. Haiku is written in a single vertical line in Japanese. 
  2. Haiku is so popular that apps such as Duolingo help people learn about the art of writing a haiku. 
  3. In traditional haikus, the mention of the season is either hinted at or included. This is indicated by the word ‘kigu’, which sets the poem in a particular season. 
  4. In Japanese, there is a juxtaposition or separator that cuts the poem into two halves. Though it is done through a particular word, in English it is done through punctuation. 
  5. The haiku form of poetry was tied to the practice of Zen meditation. 

Also Read: United Nations: International Women’s Day

FAQs

Q1. When is Haiku Poetry Day celebrated? 

Ans. Haiku Poetry Day is celebrated on April 17, annually. 

Q2. What is the most famous haiku poem?

Ans. “The Old Pond” by Matsuo Bashō is one of the most famous haiku poems. 

Q3. When was haiku poetry invented?

Ans. The first traces of haiku poetry is back in the 17th century. 

That was all about International Haiku Poetry Day, celebrated on April 17. For more such interesting articles, stay tuned to Wings by Leverage Edu

Leave a Reply

Required fields are marked *

*

*