Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry comprised of three phrases.
Traditional haiku uses 17 syllables (5:7:5) but contemporary haiku in English often ignores this rule. A haiku is typically about nature, the earth and the natural world and are designed to be thought-provoking. These original haiku poems are by Anthony Rutledge and are mostly written in the contemporary free style format.
There are over 4,000 Haiku on this site in 15 different themes: Australian, Beach, Garden Sundial, In the Mirror,Kimono,Motherhood,Ships and Oceans,Spring,Windjammers and Miscellaneous.
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Braiding blonde tresses
Laurel steps from
her cheval mirror.
Sunday afternoon
the merriment of ants
with a butterfly’s wing.
long travelled waves
the last of the holidays
around her feet
high moon
where the river turns
the dingoes howling
Used car yard
winter dinting us
with hail and rust.
poker night wins
leaving the city
as it wakes.
Dust storm
the farm’s drought
vanishing.
The chill that showers
sprinkle over me…
sick friend’s garden.
Tropic isle
in the sinking sun
it’s gulls I hear.
Icicles drip
but the verandah
is bathed in a cold moon.
just dusk
the stars between
space and time
sunrise sea
breathing the air
full of gulls.
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