Examples of Haiku Poems by Children & Famous Poets

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Examples of Haiku Poems

Famous Examples of Haiku Poetry by Popular Haiku Poets

Bashō was born in 1644, near Ueno in Iga Province and is considered as the first great poet of Haiku and belongs to the Edo period in Japan. During his lifetime, Bashō was recognized for his works in the collaborative haikai no renga form and is known as master of brief and clear haiku.

After Basho’s death, Kobayashi Issa followed in his step and propagated simple and concise Haiku based on nature’s theme with the subtle precision of Zen.

Other celebrated old masters in Haiku poetry are:

  • Akutagawa, Ryunosuke
  • Buson
  • Etsujin
  • Hashin
  • Kato, Shuson
  • Kawahigashi, Hekigodo
  • Kójó
  • Murakami, Kijo
  • Natsume, Soseki
  • Raizan
  • Ryusui
  • Shiki
  • Takahama, Kyoshi

    • Haiku Poem Examples by Matsuo Basho

    Autumn moonlight –
    a worm digs silently
    into the chestnut.
    -Basho (1644-1694)

    Fallen sick on a journey,
    In dreams I run wildly
    Over a withered moor.
    -Basho (1644-1694)

    Haiku by Natsume Soseki

    Over the wintry
    forest, winds howl in  rage
    with no leaves to blow.
    -Natsume Soseki (1275-1351)
    Haiku by Bruce Lansky

    Sudden spring storm-
    a family of ducks paddles
    around the deserted lake
    -Bruce Lansky
    Haiku Poems by Kobayashi Issa

    Autumn wind –
    mountain’s shadow
    wavers.
    -Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828)

    Don’t weep, insects –
    Lovers, stars themselves,
    Must part.
    -Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828)

    Examples of Haiku Poems Written by Kids

    In the evening twilight
    Only the mushrooms
    Are illuminated
    -Keji Baba, Age 12, Japan 

    I am a child
    who likes to swim all the time
    I like to get wet
    -Stacy W. 

    The stars are shining
    they will shimmer and they’ll glow
    until the sun shines
    -Mattie M.

    I see in the snow
    a little brown shaking deer
    I will try to help
    -Tim K.

    Nature is beauty
    Wildlife is natures beauty
    Fields are natures smiles
    -Madeleine

    Beagles have long ears
    long legs, skinny tails, brown spots
    God created them!
    -Hallie

    Examples of American Haiku Poems

    American Haiku differs from the traditional Japanese Haiku as it is not strictly disciplined to seventeen syllables. Some of the popular poets of American Haiku are Nick Virgilio who published his famous "lily" and "bass" poems in American Haiku, influencing many haiku writers to follow the rather free style.  Another famous American Haiku poet is Jack Kerouac who developed a new definition for American haiku in his journal Some of the Dharma which are short three-line confessional poems.

    Distinguished American Haiku Poets

    • Nick Virgilio
    • Don Eulert
    • Jack Kerouac

    Snow in my shoe
    Abandoned
    Sparrow’s nest
    -Jack Kerouac (1922-1969)

    Whitecaps on the bay:
    A broken signboard banging
    In the April wind.
    -Richard Wright (1908-1960)

    Lily:
    out of the water
    out of itself

    Bass
    picking bugs
    off the moon

    Nick Virgilio (1928-1989)

    Quail excited
    in dirt turned up
    by a gopher

    Ground squirrel
    balancing its tomato
    on the garden fence

    Don Eulert (1933-)

    Examples of Some of the Best Haiku Poems

    A whale!
    Down it goes, and more and more
    up goes its tail!

    No blossoms and no moon,
    and he is drinking sake
    all alone!

    Covered with the flowers, 
    Instantly I’d like to die 
    In this dream of ours

    No one travels 
    Along this way but I, 
    This autumn evening.

    Poverty’s child - 
    he starts to grind the rice, 
    and gazes at the moon.

    An old silent pond…
    A frog jumps into the pond,
    splash! Silence again.
    -Basho (1644-1694)

    Helpful Haiku Resources

    • Haiku Heute by Volker Friebel.
    • Haiku-Seiten by Hans-Peter Krause
    • Haiku Freunde by the japanese haiku magazine "Suien”
    • Yosa Buson and His Followers: Haiku and Painting
    • The Daily Yomiuri: English version of a Japanese Newspaper
    • William J. Higginson’s ‘Haiku Handbook’
    1932735874
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    Comments
    1. katie

      love is in the air
      i wished he knew how i felt
      but only i do

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