International Haiku Poetry Day 2024

Every year on 17 April, International Haiku Poetry Day is celebrated worldwide to recognise and promote the beauty of Haikus. Haiku poetry is a form of Japanese poetry that consists of three lines that are not rhyming. It is an engaging form of poetry that has become popular in different corners of the world. This day encourages people worldwide to refine their creativity by writing or reading haikus. 

During the thirteenth century, Haiku was introduced in Japan as the opening to another form of poetry called Rengu. Almost 300 years later, it started appearing on its own. One of the most popular Haiku poets of all time is Masaoka Shiki. During the mid-1900s, Haiku gained popularity in the West and was embraced by famous poets like Maya Angelou, T.S Eliot, and William Blake. In 2012, 17 April was announced as the International Haiku Poetry Day by the Haiku Foundation. 

Haiku poetries are mainly written about the beauty of nature, seasons and different experiences. As one of the oldest forms of poetries, Haikus allow people to express their emotions through simple words. We can celebrate this special day by reading Haiku poetries or trying our hands at creating new ones. To inspire you, here is one of the most popular Haikus of all time: 

Old pond 

A frog jumps in 

The sound of water. 

                              – Matsuo Basho