haiku, unrhymed poetic form consisting of 17 syllables arranged in three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. The haiku first emerged in Japanese literature during the 17th century, as a terse reaction to elaborate poetic traditions, though it did not become known by the name haiku until the 19th century.
samples:
On a withered branch
A crow has alighted;
Nightfall in autumn.
&
somewhere in empty space
a lady seems anxious , yet knows
pitfalls could harm others
&
on a tired mind set
none can hear anything
only sleep will resume
