Spring Haiku – May 2025

“Wherever one lives, one experiences changing seasons” — Charlotte Digregorio Haiku and Senryu: A Simple Guide for All (p. 64)

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It’s early May and spring has finally taken hold. Many of the migratory birds have returned from their winter homes, the crocus have come and gone, and the red maple tree outside my back door is finally starting to show its leaves.  

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, May sits in the middle of astronomical spring (March 20-June 20) and near the end of meteorological spring (March 01 – May 31).  

For those who observe the 72-season calendar, May brings us a variety of seasons including:

• The Tree Peony Flowers (Apr 30 – May 04)
• The First Frog Call (May 05 – May 09)
• The Earth Worm Rise (May 10 – May 14)
• Bamboo Shoots Appear (May 15 – May 20)
• The Silk Worm Awakes and Eats the Mulberry (May 21 – May 25)
• The Safflower Blossoms (May 26 – May 30)

Each season provides a small “a poetic journey through the Japanese year.”⁽¹⁾ What a magical way to notice the passing of time!

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Recently, I was reading Charlotte Digregorio’s Haiku and Senryu: A Simple Guide for All and was reminded of the connection between haiku and the seasons.  In her chapter “Nature and the Seasons in Haiku”, Digregorio writes: 

“Haikuists pay attention to sights and colors, sounds, textures, tastes, and odors of each season.  With haiku, we look at things, hear things, notice the touch and taste of things that connect us with the world around us.  We observe seasonal changes, just as an artist does.” (Digregorio, pg. 64) 

One of the true joys of writing haiku is how it encourages us to slow down and notice the world around us. It heightens our awareness and ground us in the present moment. Issa, Basho, and Buson were masters of this form, and their haiku demonstrate this.

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Issa

spring begins--
sparrows at my gate
with healthy faces
(translated by David G. Lanoue)

half of it
is flitting snowflakes...
spring rain
(translated by David G. Lanoue)

the little crow
slips so cleverly...
spring rain
(translated by David G. Lanoue)

Basho

ah spring spring 
how great is spring! 
and so on 
(translated by Jane Reichhold)

spring winds 
hoping the flowers burst 
out in laughter
(translated by Jane Reichhold)

The spring scene 
is well prepared: 
the moon and plum-blossoms. 
(translated by R.H.Blyth)

Buson

Everywhere
coldness remains —
plum blossoms
(translated by Allan Persinger)

I cannot write
in the spring rain — 
how nice
(translated by Allan Persinger)

The sun sets 
and there is no bridge — 
spring water
(translated by Allan Persinger)

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The Kigo

The kigo, or season word, is one of the key parts of the haiku. “Spring rain”, “plum blossoms”, and “spring” are all examples of kigo found the haiku above. Below is a list of other spring kigo pulled from The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words as selected by Kenkichi Yamamoto and Jane Reichhold’s A Dictionary of Haiku.

You are not limited to these seasonal references when writing haiku. Step outside and see what you notice and incorporate that into your haiku.

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A Haiku Invitation

I invite you to write a spring haiku. Use any kigo you like to ground your poem in this season.

Share your haiku in the comments below, or post on your page and link back. I can’t wait to read what you write! 

Formatting Note:  To eliminate the spaces between the lines of your haiku when posting in the comment section, hit shift-enter at the end of the line.  Example,

one (shift-enter)
line two (shift-enter)
the third line (shift-enter)

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About Today’s Post

Basho’s haiku were retrieved from “Matsuo Bashō’s haiku poems in romanized Japanese with English translations” Editor: Gábor Terebess. Issa’s haiku were retrieved from David G. Lanoue’s Haiku Guy. Buson’s haiku was retrieved from Foxfire: the Selected Poems of Yosa Buson, a Translation by Allan Persinger. Jane Reichhold’s haiku was retrieved from the Dictionary of Haiku.

Charlotte Digregorio’s Haiku and Senryu: A Simple Guide for All can be purchased by contacting her directly or you can find her book on Amazon.

References:

1. “Japan’s 72 Microseasons”; Nippon.com
2. Digregorio, Charlotte. (2014) Haiku and Senryu: A Simple Guide for All. Artful Communications Press. 
3. New to Haiku: What is a Kigo?; Haiku Foundation

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