Reginald C. Moone and wife Lenore in 1955
📌 Haiku Comes to America
A Brief History of the 3-Line Wonder
- Origin: Haiku began in 17th-century Japan, rooted in earlier forms like hokku. Traditionally 3 lines (5–7–5 syllables), haiku evoke nature, seasons, or fleeting moments.
- Arrival in the U.S.: American interest began in the early 1900s, as Japanese poetry was translated into English. Poets like Ezra Pound and Amy Lowell embraced its minimalism.
- Beat Boost: The 1950s Beat Generation (especially Jack Kerouac) helped popularize haiku, favoring looser syllable counts and spiritual immediacy over strict form. Kerouac spent his final years quietly living — and writing — in St. Petersburg, Florida.
- Modern Use: Today, haiku appear everywhere from literary journals to social media — a snapshot of thought, distilled to its essence.
“The only thing that lives
is the moment we are in.”
— Jack Kerouac (American haiku)