Haiku : The British Museum

Japanese haiku has for many centuries been a much-loved form of poetry. Composed of 17 syllables, it can convey the essence of an emotion, a fleeting moment in nature, or a throwaway comment. This collection is a selection of 60 classic haiku by masters such as Basho, Kyoshi and Shiki, arranged by season and covering all the most popular subjects. The text features an introduction explaining the background to Japanese haiku and a short biographical note about each of the major poets. It should serve as an introduction to the treasures of Japanese poetry and art.