Night of the First Grass

In just three lines, Japanese poets describe the world around them and tell an entire story. And this is what attracts in these amazing poems — the conciseness and depth that make one think. Haiku, or hokku, appeared in the early 14th century. These short poems not only described the surrounding world — they offered the reader a dialogue with the poet, and at first, one had to guess what exactly the author wanted to convey through the images of nature. Examples of haiku by great masters such as Matsuo Bashō show how through a single image — a falling leaf, the cry of a crane, a drop of dew — a whole range of feelings and thoughts is conveyed.