World Haiku Day, April 17, 2026

April 17 marks World Haiku Day as well as National Haiku Poetry Day.

Traditional haiku is written in three lines of 5, 7, 5 syllables. Modern haiku focuses more on expression, but is also very beautiful rhythmically. Usually the first or last line contains a break in thought or expression from the other two lines. In traditional haiku there are also season words to be included in the piece. You can find lists of the most common ones online.

This spring, I entered several haiku challenges. Out of the dozen or so I submitted, two were accepted for publication! I'll make a post with the link to the publication when they come out.

Eight of the haiku I wrote this spring are included below. My personal favorite is the one that begins "the steady plop, plop."

Which one do you like?

Will you try to write a haiku on April 17th?

***** ******* *****

snow clad maple woods

spile and pail in practiced hands

sap flowing swiftly

*

before the sunrise

the first spring bird lifts its voice

my yawn commingles

*

tattered ice edges

shield a tentative stonefly

brook trout awaken

*

raindrops and grey sky

make snow crystals heavier

sodden slush blossoms

*

the steady plop, plop

rain dripping from the roof edge

forming a straight line

*

yoshino cherries-

longing inhabits your words,

connecting eras

*

on a brown island

glowing stems of dogwood stand

against ebbing snow

*

brown, white, rust and grey

give way to brighter colors

pink, yellow, green, blue