Hampshire Poet blog - May 2025
- Damian Kelly-Basher
- May 1
- 2 min read
During his two year tenure, your new Hampshire Poet - Damian Kelly-Basher - will be writing a series of blog posts for us sharing what he has been up to, telling us his poetic plans for the future, and inviting you to get involved in poetry in Hampshire. Read on to find out what's happening in Damian's world!
In this blog, Damian looks at the Haiku.
The Haiku (hokku) is a Japanese short-form poem of 17 syllables usually in a 3-phrase structure (5-7-5).
It began in the 10th Century ACE. From the mid-1600s, classical writers, like Basho (not a relative) also referenced history and literature.
Over centuries hokku included humour and social observation (see work by ‘Issa’). These became known as senryu. By the 1900s, poets from Estonia to Bengal were writing haikus that used a similar Japanese format Haikus are popular today; as are other related short-forms (e.g. tanka).
Haikus traditionally include:
kireji: a ‘cutting’ word; that changes the sense of the poem. At the end, it creates a closure or question. In the middle, it creates a pause or implies another thought.
kigo: a word or phrase that suggests a season.
Remember that the Japanese language uses a different script and syntax. Japan’s very different culture and beliefs also change the meaning of words. So, non-Japanese haikus and translations can only estimate the original form.
For example:
Quietly, quietly, / yellow mountain roses fall – / sound of the rapids" - Basho
On a branch / floating downriver / a cricket, singing. - Issa
To explore modern British haiku, check out British Haiku Society.
Writing exercise
It’s always harder to say something using fewer words. But that’s what poets do.
Write a poem using the 5-7-5 (haiku)
Or 5-7-5-7-7 (tanka) format.
Think of your poem like a snapshot of a place or a thought/feeling about a moment in time.
Have fun. Writing is about having fun with words.
Damian Kelly-Basher is Hampshire Poet Laureate 2024-26. The appointment of the Hampshire Poet takes place every two years and is jointly led by Winchester Poetry Festival and Hampshire Cultural Trust. The position of Hampshire Poet provides the opportunity for a Hampshire-based poet to undertake commissions, lead workshops and give readings and talks throughout the county, as well as acting as an advocate for poetry and poets.
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