Haiku (jap. 俳句) is a short form of Japanese poetry
in three phrases, typically characterized by three qualities:

1. The essence of haiku is <dfn title="cutting">kiru</dfn> (cutting). This is often represented by the juxtaposition of two images or ideas and a <dfn title="cutting word">kireji</dfn> (cutting word) between them.
2. Traditional haiku often consist of 17 syllables, in three phrases of 5, 7, and 5.
3. A <dfn title="seasonal reference">kigo</dfn> (seasonal reference) with topics such as season, heaven, earth, humanity, observances, animals, or plants.
