Haiku is the only form of poetry that emphasizes the direct awakening of mind to nature. This is an ineffable trait that defines a great haiku. It is a quality of spiritual development that can be practiced by any religion or philosophy. It is a recognition of the absolute nonduality of the world. Writing haiku on a regular basis breaks down the ego so that the difference between subject and object vanishes. This awakening can happen to anybody at any time. The result will be a three-line poem, perhaps with 17 syllables, which affirms the sacred quality of existence. Superb haiku penetrates beyond the intellectual mind, joining words with an intuitive understanding that places the poet in a temporary state of Sanctifying Grace, Buddha Mind, or any other description that transcends the ordinary senses. It is words to get beyond words.

Haiku reveals the thing-in-itself, a distilled image that can be appreciated in many different ways. In one sense, haiku is a variety of benevolent pantheism. And it forms a bond between the poet and the reader, for reading one can be as rewarding as writing one. Once a haiku has been written, it belongs to everyone, not just the poet.

Kevin McLaughlin

Dianne Moritz, a former teacher, is a children's poet and picture book author. Her haiku is inspired by nature and the beautiful beaches near her home in Southampton, New York.

ospreys perch

high above the beach

searching for prey

meteor showers

exploding in the night sky

nature’s fireworks

Dianne Moritz

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Christina Chin of Malaysia must practice mindfulness throughout the day.

I sit in meditation

but my mind goes

out for a walk

first tiny steps

on tippy toes

magnolia blossoms

(Magnolia’s upright blossoms resemble little ballerinas.)

wake-up call

the bulbul’s piercing melody

sharp and clear

whistling warbler

a few white blossoms

on her cleavage

Christina Chin

Phil Huffy writes early and often at his kitchen table.

snow slinks away

as muddy yards

wait their turn

reflections

disguise the pond

but for ripples

(Give this haiku a second read.)

by the garage

spring’s first chipmunk

glances cautiously

Phil Huffy

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Diana Teneva of Bulgaria has had her poetry translated into many languages.

misty morning

I can feel droplets

on my face

(What may seem commonplace connects us to the universe. Our atoms merge with the mist.)

Summer morning

mist envelopes the blue heron —

there’s a mystery!

Diana Teneva

Ogedengbe Tolulope is an award-winning Nigerian poet and has been published extensively. Clearly, he is an active leader in the Afriku movement.

by the creeks of the Niger

father's gravestone . . .

just before the sea

(Beautiful poem, and very moving.)

early morning

birds race the sky

nature's reunion

village river . . .

the goddess's teeth

on white bricks

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Ogedengbe Tolulope

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Fruitful Ayobami is a Nigerian engineer and writer. He continues the great tradition of the Afriku.

cupped hands . . .

I sip the songs

of night birds

(A unique interplay of the senses.)

mother

spreading her clothes outside —

early morning sun

Fruitful Ayobami

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Sterling Warner, author, poet, and educator, has been widely published, including in Danse Macabre.

long black digits spread

cerulean fingernails

scratch icy windows

dragonfly sprinklers

rainbows chasing waterdrops

dual wings dart, dip

(Some of the best haiku, like this verse, arise from the rigidity of the form combined with the freedom of poetry.)

frost covered walkway

daffodils push though loose dirt

makeshift hovels shake

Sterling Warner

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S. Denny resides in San Angelo, Texas, and is a graduate of the University of Texas. Mr. Denny is very much a master of the classical style.

much to contemplate

broken things and memories;

purple thistle bloom

a boat-tail grackle

casting sheen of purple-green;

black contradiction

bronze urn and ashes

memories, unfinished dreams;

sleeping now alone

S Denny

Winston Widjaja Lin is a gaysian American of Indonesian and Taiwanese heritage.

swaying dock,

clear sea and sky:

give clarity

(That first line conveys the clarity of the third line. Feel that swaying.)

o, the grains’

trustworthy touch

protecting sand

the older trees

with rings and sturdiness —

lifelong lesson

Winston Widjaja Lin