Haiku is a type of poetry that originated in Japan. A haiku poem has a seemingly simplistic structure. It is most commonly broken up into three lines and a total of 17 syllables, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second and five in the third, and typically it does not rhyme. Because of the syllabic structure, a haiku's words and grammar are simple, but do not take this poetic form for granted. It is challenging to paint a picture with rich imagery under such constraints, which is what makes haiku a beautiful art form.
Nature
The most common topic or theme for haiku poems is nature. Go to a park or garden and look around you. Take note of what you see, including birds, types and colors of flowers, trees, lakes and ponds. You might write a haiku about the way a willow tree looks as if it were weeping or how vibrant a cherry blossom looks. The idea is to bring the nature that inspired you to life in the haiku.
Feelings
You can write your haiku about feelings. Although it is often complex to portray feelings in poetry, especially in such a stylized and structured poetic form as haiku, you can focus on how something makes you feel and capture it. Consider how you feel when you go running in the park or when you take your dog to a dog run or how you feel when you cook special meals with friends. Write down all the words that convey your feelings in these very specific moments, and use them to write your haiku.
Experiences
Some haiku poems are about experiences. They describe the experience itself, not necessarily how it made you feel. Consider experiences that have touched your life, such as your first kiss, the first time you flew on an airplane or a particularly thrilling vacation. Write words that help capture that experience, and convey it in haiku form.
Dreams
Use your dreams as inspiration for your haiku. Vivid dreamers who actually remember most of what they have dreamed should definitely note them down. Think of your dreams and start writing words that convey a dreamscape in haiku form. Perhaps you dreamed that you were being chased or that you were flying. Use your dreams as creative fodder for your haiku poetry.
