Unlocking the Power of Imagery: Crafting Haikus to Elevate Your Descriptive Writing

A haiku is a great way to put one foot into the world of poetry. The haiku originated in Japan in the 17th century. To put it simply, a haiku is a short poem which consists of only three lines. It most commonly uses the 5-7-5 syllable rule, in which each line only consists of words that add up to 5 syllables, 7 syllables and 5 syllables respectively.

As an example, take a look at this haiku by Matsuo Bashō.

In the twilight rain
these brilliant-hued hibiscus –
A lovely sunset

Let’s take a closer look at the syllable breakdown:

(Line 1) In//the// twi// light//rain (5 syllables)
(Line 2) these//bril //liant-// hued //hi//bis//cus – (7 syllables)
(Line 3) A//love//ly//sun//set (5 syllables)

Believe or not, this is considered a full poem. Also, don’t you think it’s a beautiful one? Despite its short length of three lines, you can really imagine the different images mentioned in the poem. This is an example of visual imagery, which is a technique that you can use to make the setting in your compositions more vivid. In the haiku you have just read, the use of imagery allows the reader to connect with the poem as being able to visualise the scene helps the reader to understand clearly what the poet is trying to convey. Similarly, in your writing, you can use imagery to draw your readers in and allow them to have a better understanding of the scene or situation you are trying to create.

Let’s examine the concept of imagery more closely. Imagery refers to using visually descriptive vocabulary that helps the reader imagine your setting clearly. One way you can go about this is to incorporate 5-senses descriptions into your writing, especially the sense of sight. For instance, in Bashō’s haiku, he engaged the sense of sight by describing the vivid colour of the hibiscus flowers and the beauty of the sunset.

Today, let’s practise coming up with imagery by creating our very own haiku, then expanding on it to describe a given setting. Take a look at this picture of a beach:

(Image link: https://i.insider.com/5bfec49248eb12058423acf7?width=700)

Step 1: Describe the setting by focusing on what you can see

Since visual imagery is the most common form of imagery used in haikus, you can first try to brainstorm some phrases related to the sense of sight. Also, most students find the sense of sight to be the easiest of the 5 senses to describe, so this makes it the perfect starting point! Based on the picture, my list looks something like the one below:

• clear turquoise water shimmering in the sunlight
• palm trees swaying gently, reaching out
• bright blue sky dotted with white fluffy clouds

Step 2: Create your haiku using visual imagery

Before you start, let’s recap the rules of a haiku. It should only have three lines, and should follow the 5-7-5 syllable rule. When it comes to poems, one important thing you should know is that the imagery you show speaks more than how coherent your sentences are. Think of it as similar to song lyrics, which aren’t always completely coherent. This also explains the grammar in Bashō’s poem that you’ve seen before this. Poetry and narrative stories have different rules, so this is completely fine. So, in this rare instance, don’t worry so much about how coherent your sentences sound, as long as your words are not completely illogical. (Definitely don’t do this for your compositions or English exams, though!)

Based on the visual descriptions I have brainstormed, I have written the following haiku to describe the picture:

Palm trees sway gently,
reaching out towards clear,
turquoise waters.

Let’s break down the syllables here:

(Line 1) Palm//trees//sway//gent//ly, (5)
(Line 2) rea//ching//out//to//wards (7)
(Line 3) clear,//tur//quoise//wa//ters (5)

See how the visual imagery in the haiku perfectly captures the scene? If you close your eyes, you can visualise how the gently swaying trees seem to be reaching out for the sea.

Step 3: Expand your haiku into a 4-sentence paragraph

In this step, think of how you can expand on your haiku by writing 4-5 phrases that describe the beach vividly. Use at least one other type of 5-senses descriptions to elaborate on what you might experience at this beach. Apart from what your character can see, what might they hear, touch, smell or taste? For instance:

• sun radiated its warmth on my back (touch)
• soft breeze caressing my face (touch)
• gentle lapping of the waves against the rocks (hearing)
• fine sand tickled my toes (touch)
• briny, salty tang in the air (smell)

Now, how can I create 4 sentences based on this haiku to describe the beach vividly? If I choose to focus on the sense of touch, I could write something like this:

As the fine sand on the beach tickled my toes, my eyes caught sight of palm trees swaying gently in the distance. They reached out towards clear, turquoise waters. Slowly wading into the sea, I shivered slightly at the cold water. With a small smile on my face, I floated on my back as the sun radiated its warmth on me.

Just like in the haiku, the use of visually descriptive vocabulary in the paragraph helps to make the setting more vivid for the reader.

Now it’s your turn to try! Before you start this exercise, take note of these summarised guidelines and ensure that you follow them:

1. Think of a setting that you want to describe. If it helps, you can also use a picture of a place.
2. Brainstorm some phrases using your sense of sight to describe the setting.
3. Write 3 lines for your haiku. Remember to follow the 5-7-5 syllable rule. Focus on describing the sense of sight in your haiku.
4. Use the words from your haiku and at least one other type of 5-senses descriptions (i.e. hearing, taste, smell, touch) to elaborate on your haiku into a 4-sentence paragraph.

I hope you have fun with this exercise! We would love to see your responses in the comments.

Thank you and bye for now!