Haiku art installation, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, London, England

Poetry in suspense. International Haiku Poetry Day

Get out your pen and paper—it’s International Haiku Poetry Day! Haikus originated in Japan as the opening segment of a larger poem called a renga. Eventually they became individual poems of their own. A traditional haiku consists of 17 phonetic units—similar to a syllable—in a 5, 7, 5 formation. Though simple, a great haiku creates a sense of simple beauty and a connection to nature. That connection was captured in today’s image at London’s Kew Royal Botanic Garden by artist Chiharu Shiota for their Japan Festival.