Category

Haiku

A Japanese verse form most often composed, in English versions, of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. A haiku often features an image, or a pair of images, meant to depict the essence of a specific moment in time.. Read More
Showing 1-20 of 46 results
Filter Results
  • Poem

    poetry-magazineMalu Cycles/瑪璐循環

    By Maxine Hong Kingston
    Translated By Chun Yu
    I pay.
    In dream: Susie’s medical bill.
    For real: Moana bar tab.

    我付款。
    夢中：蘇西的醫療費。
    現實：莫阿娜酒吧賬。
     






     Time I write …
  • Poem

    poetry-magazineUntitled/無題

    By John Whalen-Bridge
    Translated By Chun Yu
    The words of children
    splash in grandmother’s mind
    and ripple to now.

    孩子的話兒
    在祖母心中濺起
    蕩漾至今。 
  • Audio

    Malu Cycles

    By Maxine Hong KingstonTr. by Chun Yu
  • Article

    Haiku

    By Jack Collom & Sheryl Noethe
  • Glossary Terms

    Haiku (or hokku)

    A Japanese verse form most often composed, in English versions, of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. A haiku often features an image, or a pair of images, meant to depict the essence of a specific moment in time.
  • Poem

    fallen leaves

    By John Brandi
    fallen leaves
    the abbot sweeps
    around them 
  • Poem

    a party

    By John Brandi
    a party
    where everyone says goodbye
    then stays
  • Poem

    Suicide's Note

    By Langston Hughes
    The calm, 
    Cool face of the river
    Asked me for a kiss. 
  • Poem

    Useless! Useless!

    By Jack Kerouac
    Useless! Useless! 
    —heavy rain driving
    into the sea
  • Poem

    Koi

    By Jennifer Wong
    Among heart-shaped leaves
    the white fish gleams, red tail. 
    Soft lotuses sleep. 
  • Poem

    Haiku

    By Frank Lima
    I
    The lights are out
    The cats are hungry
    The room is full of gangsters

    II
    The dishes are dirty
    The icebox is empty
    I dream of celery and a compass

    III
    The roof is upstairs
    The window next door
    A guitar in the shower

    IV
    The hours disappear in my room
    Where is...
  • Poem

    [even with insects]

    By Kobayashi Issa
    Translated By Robert Hass
    Even with insects—
    some can sing,
        some can’t.
  • Poem

    [under the evening moon]

    By Kobayashi Issa
    Translated By Robert Hass
    Under the evening moon
    the snail
          is stripped to the waist.
  • Poem

    [mosquito at my ear]

    By Kobayashi Issa
    Translated By Robert Hass
    Mosquito at my ear—
    does he think
          I’m deaf?
Newsletters

Sign up for Poetry Foundation newsletters

Sign Up