Five Haiku from Ireland
Distilling moments into seventeen syllables
I don’t remember when I began writing haiku. But I do remember realizing that writing one was a form of meditation.
I can often agonize over my lyrics and longer-form poetry. If what I’m experiencing feels too complex to put into words, as it often does, then limitations become helpful. By working with only a handful of syllables, I’m able to distill a moment to its essence. The process becomes a meditation in stripping away the unnecessary. A haiku is like a short series of breaths.
According to The Poetry Foundation, a haiku (or hokku) is “a Japanese verse form most often composed, in English versions, of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. A haiku often features an image, or a pair of images, meant to depict the essence of a specific moment in time.”
In June 2026, I traveled to Ireland for two weeks. As expected, both the landscape and my experience often felt too expansive for words. These are some of the haiku that emerged from that trip.
I won’t tell you how to interact with poetry or haiku, that’s entirely up to you. But if you like, you might approach each one as its own moment to linger with, maybe even with a handful of deep breaths, preferably outside. Haiku pair well with natural scenery.
Better yet, try writing your own haiku sometime, when the mood strikes and words feel hard to come by.
1.
I want to be an empty fool in the morning to accept what fills
2.
don’t deny yourself when you have a strong feeling ride it like a wave
3.
acknowledge the thing. won’t make pain go away but will lighten the load
4.
when was the last time you indulged in something good for the joy of it
5.
what if I expand without grasping? I might just take on a new form
the words - the images - all beautiful 😍