Haiku,
Japan's most popular verse form, originated in the 13th century, but did not
evolve into a full art until the 17th century, when the master, Basho, a student of
Zen Buddhism, refined the ancient form into true poetry. In Japanese (but not
always in translation), the haiku consists of 17 syllables in three lines of five,
seven, five, syllables respectively. The only type of Japanese poetry having no meter and no rhyme, it is also the shortest of all Japanese poetic forms.
Examples:
The pure white snowflakes
Slowly drifting to the ground
Making snow pillows.
Won't I catch a cold out here?
Lacy white snowflakes
All in different designs
Dancing in the wind.
Why is winter gone so soon?
You need never speak
To the one you love - your heart Does all the talking.
Then what s all this noise I hear?