haikaiTALKS: a saturday gathering! 13th June 2026

haikaiTALKS: one line haiku|a saturday gathering under the banyan tree

A Disclaimer

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If anyone feels that it is similar to another haikai, they are encouraged to contact the relevant poet directly.

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haikaiTALKS 

Guest poet: Srinivasa Rao Sambangi

haikaiTALKS: a Saturday gathering under the banyan tree

13th June 2026

One line haiku

One/two/four Line Haiku:

We are all aware that the majority of the haiku written in English language are three-liners. However, all the haiku cannot fit into three lines for the reasons we are going to explore. Out of curiosity I did some research about their numbers in the Herons Nest for three years (2022-2024). Interestingly one liners appeared are 16%, two liners 0.2%, four liners zero and the rest are three liners.

The structure of haiku depends on what format suits it best. The number of lines may vary from one to four.

In the next three weeks, let’s focus on writing one, two and four-line haiku. This week, let’s discuss one-liners

One-line haiku:

One-line haiku is also called monoku, monostitch, one-liner etc., The rules for one line haiku are very much same as a three line haiku. As it’s one line, the break in the poem is offered by the language used. Words have their own natural breaks. Often, we prefer one liner when a poem can be read in multiple ways and it contains multiple, overlapping readings which enhances the reading experience.

Look at my favourite example:

mallards leaving in the water rippled sky

                                           - Penny Harter

You have all the characteristics of a three line haiku here like juxtaposition between two images etc., It can be read in many ways giving a different break each time you read

mallards leaving in the water/rippled sky

mallards leaving/in the water/rippled sky

mallards/leaving in the water/rippled sky

mallards leaving in/ the water rippled sky

Give a little pause at the end of each variation and internalise the images. You will feel a different experience each time

Some other examples:

mud flats at low tide autumn rain

      --John Stevenson

chestnut moon shifting in my memory ghost floors

          - Alan Summers

pig and i spring rain   - Marlene Mountain

a man in a crowd in a man

    - John Stevenson

Please write and post one or two one-line haiku this week.

Thanks to Jacek Margolak for recommending this theme. This is a repeat of April 2025 post

Ref:

https://www.waleshaikujournal.com/post/monoku

https://area17.blogspot.com/2016/12/travelling-single-line-of-haiku-one.html

https://thehaikufoundation.org/reading-one-line-haiku-with-kat-and-robin-multiple-breaks-and-multiple-readings/

For seasonal references, please check these lists:

“A Dictionary of Haiku Classified by Season Words with Traditional and Modern Methods,” by Jane Reichhold:

https://thehaikufoundation.org/omeka/files/original/7fb6654a1dfd1afef97369da920530f8.pdf

indian subcontinent SAIJIKI:

https://www.trivenihaikai.in/indian-saijiki

The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words:

http://www.2hweb.net/haikai/renku/500ESWd.html

The World Kigo Database:

https://wkdkigodatabase03.blogspot.com/

The Yuki Teikei Haiku Season Word List:

https://yths.org/season-word-list/

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Dear poets,

Please provide your feedback on others' commentary and poems as well.

We are continuing haikaiTALKS in full swing!

Keep writing and commenting! _kala