How To Write Ekphrastic Haiku

Ekphrastic Haiku is a mashup of the traditional Japanese haiku in the ekphrastic tradition.

Haiku is a Japanese verse form most often composed, in English versions, of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. Ekphrasis is a form of poetry focused more on content and less on form, functioning more like a genre than anything else. Ekphrasis is the Greek word for “description” and typically refers to poems written about visual art, from paintings to films and everything in between.

In this mashup, we are writing traditional haiku in the ekphrastic tradition.

Rules of Ekphrastic Haiku

It is a poem of three lines
Use a piece of art as inspiration
Say a lot with just a little!
There is no meter or rhyme scheme

Advantages and Challenges of the Form

Haiku is an incredible form to become familiar with. They are so expressive and are flexible. Their short structure also allows for easy creation which is helpful if you ever experience writer’s block. Choose to stick to the more traditional 5, 7, 5 structure, or attempt to say a lot in a little space. Using ekphrasis as inspiration allows the author to focus on the imagistic side of writing, capturing a beautiful moment in time.

As always, these short form poems can be difficult to work with. Sometimes a painting, or general piece of art can be so moving or dynamic that it’s hard to fit everything you want to say in such a short space. This is also an advantage, similar to the abbreviated haiku, though. Limiting yourself to a few words often leaves only the most powerful behind.