Haiku is not a shriek, a howl, a sigh, or a yawn; rather, it is the deep breath of life.

~ Santōka Taneda

Santōka Taneda Composition Creating Haiku Japanese Poetry Zen Zen Monks

Real haiku is the soul of poetry. Anything that is not actually present in one's heart is not haiku. The moon glows, flowers bloom, insects cry, water flows. There is no place we cannot find flowers or think of the moon. This is the essence of haiku. Go beyond the restrictions of your era, forget about purpose or meaning, separate yourself from historical limitations—there you will find the essence of true art, religion, and science.

~ Santōka Taneda

Santōka Taneda Composition Creating Haiku Japanese Poetry Zen Zen Monks

When composing a verse let there not be a hair's breath separating your mind from what you write; composition of a poem must be done in an instant, like a woodcutter felling a huge tree or a swordsman leaping at a dangerous enemy.

~ Bashō Matsuo

Bashō Matsuo Composition Creating Haiku Japanese Poetry Zen Zen Monks