Haiku is an unrhymed Japanese verse consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables (5, 7, 5) or 17 syllables in all. Haiku is usually written in the present tense, focuses on nature (seasons), and includes a kireji (cutting word) and a kigo (season word). Japanese Haiku differ from those in English in that Japanese “syllables” are counted much differently. Some writers of English Haiku disregard the syllable count and try to stay true to the spirit of the original Japanese form. Some, like myself, don’t always stick to the traditional subject matter.

Senryu is a related form that is identical in structure to Haiku (5/7/5), but differs in subject and tone. Senryū tend to be about human foibles while haiku tend to be about nature, and senryū are often cynical or darkly humorous while haiku are more serious. Unlike haiku, senryū do not include a kireji and do not generally include a kigo.

My understanding is that Haiku can be about human nature and Senryu can be about nature. The major difference is the tone of the poem.

I’ve grouped these two forms together because, often, it is hard to classify a poem as one or the other. Also, I often experiment with these forms and have produced some that I don’t think really fall into either category.

More info at Shadow Poetry