'One Thousand Springs' haiku art installation by Chiharu Shiota, 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 beauty and a connection to nature. That connection was captured in the artwork seen here, 'One Thousand Springs,' an installation of 5,000 haikus suspended within a web of red threads by artist Chiharu Shiota. It was part of the 2021 Japan Festival at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in London. Here's some inspiration for you to write a haiku yourself:

poetry blooms bright / scattered by the vernal winds / may it take strong root