About this Book

The seventeen-syllable Japanese haiku -- a three-line poem constructed on extremely rigid principles, must adhere to the strictest aesthetic standards of concreteness, objectivity, and suggestiveness. In this brilliant analytical anthology Harold G. Henderson introduces the Western reader to the seventeen-syllable haiku and, with a wide selection from the works of the great haiku masters, gives a historical and critical account of the haiku tradition. The haiku tradition is an ancient one. As Mr. Henderson suggests in the preface to this volume, a great haiku must be lucid as well as richly suggestive in the meanings it conveys to the attentive reader. In this, haiku captures the essence of lyric poetry throughout the ages and, in its variety and richness, reflects many of the characteristics of Japanese painting and religion. -- From publisher's description.