The Librarian’s Cache – Essays in the Digital Library

There are more than 250 essays in the digital library on a wide range of haiku-related topics and you can search essay in the digital library to see the complete listing. Below are links to just a few of the essays that discuss haiku philosophy, writing techniques, haiku poets and other topics.

American Haiku’s Future – In this essay, Cor Van den Heuvel offers brief accounts of 14 American haiku poets who arose to prominence around the turn of the century.

Child Mind — Teaching the Way of Haiku – In this essay, Gary Gach describes his method of teaching haiku.

The Essence of Haiku – A discussion through examples of key elements of quality haiku, by Bruce Ross.

Genesis of Haiku: Where Do Haiku Come From – In this essay, Randy Brooks discusses the various sources of inspiration for writing haiku.

Haiku as Anti-Story – Jim Kacian discusses how kire, or the cut, in haiku technique distinguishes haiku from other forms of literary narrative.

Haiku as Poetic Spell – An essay by Martin Lucas in which he elaborates on his idea of haiku as poetic spell.

Haiku Techniques – Jane Reichhold offers a clear summary, with examples, of several well recognized haiku techniques.

A Haiku Way of Life – A testimonial by Tom Clausen on the influences that led him to haiku as a way of life, and the reasons he stays with it.

Jewel in the Crown: How Form Deepens Meaning in English-Language Haiku – In this essay, Patricia Machmiller surveys various strategies for arranging haiku lines to increase their impact.

Looking at Haiku – An essay by Elizabeth St Jacques with advice for beginning poets

One Image Haiku – An essay advocating experiments in one-line haiku, by Marlene Mountain.

The Use of Language in Haiku – In this essay, Jim Kacian discusses the fundamentals of haiku composition such as haiku as the poetry of the real, brevity, word choice, punctuation and grammar, rhyme and musicality.