A haiku is a traditional Japanese short poem written in a 5 7 5 syllabic structure and usually broken up into two or three lines. The themes of a haiku often revolve around nature and seasons. To be a proper haiku, it must contain a season word ''kigo'' which indicates which season the haiku is set in.
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A haiku is a traditional Japanese short poem written in a 5 7 5 syllabic structure and usually broken up into two or three lines. The themes of a haiku often revolve around nature and seasons. To be a proper haiku, it must contain a season word ''kigo'' which indicates which season the haiku is set in. Additionally, each of the lines must be a thought on its own.
== Example ==
== Example ==
Line 9:
Line 9:
This is one of the most translated Japanese haikus[http://www.bopsecrets.org/gateway/passages/basho-frog.htm]
This is one of the most translated Japanese haikus[http://www.bopsecrets.org/gateway/passages/basho-frog.htm]
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One translation of this poem is:
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One translation of this poem by Lafcadio Hearn is:
Old pond
Old pond
frogs jumped in
frogs jumped in
sound of water.
sound of water.
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In this case, the frog is the season word which references spring.[http://www.xs4all.nl/~daikoku/haiku/meguri/kuhi-2.htm]
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In this case, the frog is the season word which references spring.[http://www.xs4all.nl/~daikoku/haiku/meguri/kuhi-2.htm] Here, the translator decided to work to preserve the essence of the Japanese rather than enforce a strict pattern to it.