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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these dark woods
my torch light no longer
on father’s back.

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corn field-
through a sea of rustle
on my horseback- wading

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Carbuncle in the soil
the coming… the going…
of the bull-ant mound.

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Bedroom mirror
from a bad dream
the opening door.

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Country road
crossing in the moonshine
a flash flood.

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sunset river
feeling the weight
of my clothes and sweat.

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answering
our drought
a few perfectly black clouds

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sun on my back
a reflected
puddle’s rose

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summer forest
leaving the chain saw to it
the butterflies.

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garden
Buddha’s
eternal
smile

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camping
the shadows of a dance
out of the flames

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