
how are haiku and senryū similar?
Both haiku and senryū are written with 17 or less syllables, often in a 5/7/5 syllable pattern written in three lines, are unmetered, and do not rhyme.
They both evolved from a form of Japanese poetry called renga. A renga had an opening stanza known as a hokku, which later became a stand-alone poem known as a haiku.
how are they different?
A haiku will traditionally have a kireji, or cutting word (which, in English, is equivalent to a verbal caesura or the use of punctuation to stop the flow of the line), as well as a kigo, or season word.
Senryū are written without kireji or kigo. They are typically about human nature instead of the natural world. They also differ in tone: where haiku is earnest, senryū is humorous, irreverent, ironic, satiric, or vulgar.
no line in the sand
You may find a lot of poems claiming to be haiku seem more like senryū. Ônishi Yasuyo, a prominent figure in modern haiku, has said, “If someone asks me how senryū differ from haiku, I tell the enquirer that the only distinction that can be made is by author’s name.”
examples of haiku
of Edo’s rain
how many mouthful did you drink
cuckoo?
Kobayashi Issa
The taste
Of rain
–Why kneel?
Jack Kerouac
Haikus are easy
but sometimes they don’t make sense
refrigerator
Rolf Nelson
examples of senryū
When I catch
the robber,
my own son
Karai Hachiemon
sea breeze
the tangerines and I
sweeten
Shizu Fukayama
The one who loves more
slants the umbrella over the other.
Mutamagawa
Unable to compose a single piece on plum flowers she comes home
Sakai Sobaijo
Cupid often runs out of arrows and is lost
Itô Masajo
The moment it blooms with fulls force it’s cut
Inoue Nobuko
In secrecy I touch something I shouldn’t be touching
Mikes Shizuko
resources
what type of haiku poet are you?
references
“A Brief Survey of Senryû by Women,” by Hiroaki Sato
A History of Haiku, Volume One, R.H. Blyth (1963)
*Senryu by Shizu Fukayama sourced from Todoufuken Senryu: shiokaze ha mikan to watashi amaku suru Marusen Senryu (Japanese Edition), collection by Senryu Toukou Marusen marusenryu.com and translated from the Japanese by anne morrigan (with the help of translation apps).
3 responses to “haiku and senryū: what is the difference?”
One yellow blossom
Midst of golden barley field
A poem is born
#haiku
This is so lovely Anita, thank you for brightening up the comments!
Pleasure always,Anne 🌼