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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Farm drought
only the bore-water trough
to keep the sheep full.
After the storm
our marmalade cat
tiptoes the lawn.
Lead-light windows
only the dawn
crowding our church.
new to my weekends
pruning the roses
she left
storm flashed thunder clouds
swirling thumping winds,
out in it a frail me
In forest
a cat’s tail swishing
around the fog.
auctioning
Father’s
shabby
house
In the mirror
the chatter of wag-tails
after rain on the lawn.
On the long beach
such storm cracked lightning
so far from home.
I woke dreaming
spring would grow our peach tree
…and spring grew
Tea brews
among the patio ferns
grandmother’s talk.
a jog after sunrise
past six horses
steaming off the frost
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