The Future of Haiku: Haiku as short poems

by Ishi Kanta

(This speech was first presented at National University of Singapore)

Haiku is limited to 17 syllables and uses a syllabic structure of 5-7-5 line sequence. In addition, there must be a seasonal element in the piece of haiku. However, would focusing on keeping to these traditional rules be sufficient?

When I was on my trips to various countries, such as New York, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, China and Taiwan, I started to realize that there is a need to broaden this idea. Although haiku is a traditional form of poetry, it is now widely spread globally and there has been a huge increase in the number of haiku enthusiasts all over the world. Many of them create short poems in their mother tongue and identify them as haiku.

Mainichi Haiku Competition is now in its 19^th year, and it is turning 20 next year. In its “International Division”, there are 2,500 haikus created by people from 56 countries. Together with the common division and children’s division, there are over 26,000 haiku submissions.

The world is now starting to appreciate haiku and is more exposed to these short poems. In many countries, short poems called haiku are printed in primary school textbooks in various languages, such as English, French and German. With this, short poems are slowing gaining momentum in children's literature.

In this rapidly changing era, we are entering a world so wonderful and yet so complicated and uncertain. Modern people now are constantly seeking a method to express themselves or to deliver messages in the shortest and quickest way. However, this need to convey feelings succinctly can also be seen in the past. In ancient times, short Japanese proverbs are used for the communion of mind to mind, to implicate and to make ‘a cutting remark’. These proverbs are able to convey one’s thoughts concisely. With this in mind, haiku may be the future of communication. Haiku can be labeled as the literature of this era. Aside from the history of haiku, we can still acknowledge this form of poetry as modern literature. The most significant component of haiku is its sense of mystery, as it does not fully convey the story and allows readers to use their imagination.

This form of Japanese literature used to only be found in Japan and it is now taking off on a global scale. With its globalization, we have to re-think the future of haiku; should haiku still be strictly bound to its traditional structure and rules? Assuming we are to continue in that manner, how is it possible for haiku to develop and progress with this fast moving world?

Is exploring new ideas and developments for haiku not worthy to bend some traditional rules?

My travels have changed my ideas on my view of Haiku.

- 象の糞ふみつづ灼熱の国へ                                                                         Sri Lanka

-  蛇喰うて街自転車に囲まれる                                                                    China

- レマン湖を泳ぐ太陽直（ひた）と率（ひ）き                                        Switzerland

-  セントラルパーク蠛蠔（まくなぎ・目纏いという虫）走者来る      New York

- ストローの二本椰子の実売の正午                                                             Taiwan

Above are a few haiku that I made during my trips. Although, there were no seasonal words, from these haiku we are able to see the historical customs, cultures and the different nationalities. Putting aside the differences of good and bad haiku techniques, is it not more important to attempt and to explore the abilities to express ourselves in a new form of contemporary haiku?

Modern Japan now, has benefit enormously from the advancement of civilization and at the same time retaining the spiritual features of its traditions and natural surroundings. Perhaps traditional poets are relying too much on seasonal words and have become prisoners of self-contained Japanese emotions.

Haiku has reached the height of its popularity in our contemporary culture, we should now explore what the new world can offer to our haiku adventures. Haiku can be of scorching deserts or freezing cold tundra. I hope that we are able to focus more adventures that we explore rather than the restrictions of traditional haiku.

For more of Mr.Ishi Kanta's work please visit: http://www.enkan.jp/