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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Sunset fades
the seagulls surrounded
by the others’ sleep.

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Summer beach
still finding lovers
on a midnight stroll.

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a sultry night–
our beach stroll
to the dunes and back

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beach dunes
I tease a whisper
any lover would

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rock pools
gifting their mirrors
to the ebb tide

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In beach debris
the secret seeds
of many lands.

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Her yellow balloon
tightly by the ribbon
then losing it.

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Loneliness …
sprinkling the quiet surf
with father’s ashes.

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In the sand dunes
sounds of a beach party
we cannot see.

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Not one scurrying
that I can catch …
the red sand crabs.

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In whale songs
the young after their elders
stranded on shore.

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Isolated beach
the rusting ship
only sand storms come to.

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