Haiku Examples
A working collection of haiku — classic, modern, senryu, and one for each season — each with a short explanation of what it's doing.
Reviewed for accuracy · Last updated August 4, 2026
Classic (public domain)
Bashō, 17th century (trans.)
old pond a frog jumps into the sound of water
The most famous haiku in the Japanese tradition. One setting, one action, one resulting sound — nothing explained. See why its English translation isn't 5-7-5.
Issa, 19th century (trans.)
O snail climb Mount Fuji but slowly, slowly!
A small, patient creature set against an enormous mountain — the whole poem is built on that one contrast, delivered with warmth rather than irony.
Modern haiku
Modern
unlocked front door— the smell of rain on concrete before I notice
Sixteen syllables, not seventeen — the cut after the first line does more work than a strict count would.
Modern
last light on the fence a cat considers the gap then goes around it
A small, exact piece of animal behavior, observed without comment.
Senryu
Senryu
my password expired again, at the worst moment reset link expired
Senryu
group chat gone silent someone is typing something still typing, still typing
Both stay entirely in ordinary modern life, using repetition and mild absurdity instead of a natural image — see Senryu vs. Haiku for the full distinction.
One per season
Spring
thaw line on the trail boot prints filling up with mud one crocus breaks through
Summer
porch light draws the moths cicadas stop, start again ice melts in the glass
Autumn
a single crow waits the field stripped down to stubble smoke from a chimney
Winter
snow fills the mailbox the paperboy's tracks vanish before noon arrives
Each uses a seasonal detail (thaw, cicadas, stubble field, snow) to place the poem in time without stating the season outright. More on this technique in What Is Kigo?
Weak vs. improved
Weak
the night sky is nice stars are so pretty tonight I feel very calm
Fits 5-7-5 exactly, but every line states a judgment ("nice," "pretty," "calm") instead of showing anything specific.
Improved
porch steps, no jacket the whole sky tipped with static one star, then a hundred
Same subject, now grounded in a specific physical moment (standing outside without a jacket) and a concrete visual progression, with the calm implied rather than named.
Frequently asked questions
Are the classic examples in the public domain?
Yes — both classic examples here are long-published English translations of poems written centuries ago in Japan, and are in the public domain.
Are the modern and senryu examples original?
Yes, written for this page rather than copied from a published collection.
Can I check any of these examples myself?
Yes — paste any of them into the Haiku Checker to see the full breakdown.