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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backyard Oak
I whittle on a copy
for our mantelpiece

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Picnics with Laurel
of youth, the canoes
of the wild blackberries picked with purple hands.

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camping out
the waterfall pool
flashed by lightning

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the distance
lightning cracks
into darkness

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Dawn watch asleep
fogs move aboard
the windjammer.

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out of our car
carrying the pails
of wild blackberries

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drink in hand
Laurel’s karaoke
in that little black dress

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Darkness and devils
my head bowed under
these shrieking bats.

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Sundial garden
the tiger moth gives up
to the spider’s venom.

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Bus stop
sweating in winter
the cake-shop window.

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The stick returns
with the dog
with the river.

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