Haiku is a type of short form poetry that originated in Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases composed of 17 phonetic units (called on in Japanese, which are similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern; that include a kireji, or "cutting word"; and a kigo, or seasonal reference. Similar poems that do not adhere to these rules are generally classified as senryū. Haiku originated as an opening part of a larger Japanese poem called renga. These haiku written as an opening stanza were known as hokku and over time they began to be written as stand-alone poems. Haiku was given its current name by the Japanese writer Masaoka Shiki at the end of the 19th century.

Haiku poems are typically about nature and often capture brief moments in time via effective imagery. They are usually not long and are composed of three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. Haiku poems usually don’t rhyme and they typically avoid metaphor, simile, and exposition in favor of imagery and contrast. The three lines of the poem do not rhyme and they typically avoid metaphor, simile, and exposition in favor of imagery and contrast. Traditional examples center around nature and/or the seasons and aim to capture a simple moment in time.