Haiku is a type of short form poetry that originated in Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases composed of 17 phonetic units (called ''on'' in Japanese, which are similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern; that include a ''kireji'', or "cutting word"; and a ''kigo'', or seasonal reference. However, haiku by classical Japanese poets, such as Matsuo Bashō, also deviate from the ... Wikipedia