Haibun Verse Form

The Haibun, which means haikai writings in Japanese, is an interesting form that combines both prose and Haiku. Its origins can be traced back to the 17th century and one of Japan’s most famous poets, Matsuo Basho. It is called a prosimetric form, a term which comes from prosa, meaning prose, and metrum, meaning verse.

It begins with a prose narrative or personal essay like passage, which typically describes a scene, a journey, an experience, or a memory. It’s written in a concise and vivid manner, and often incorporates sensory details and emotional insights.

The Haibun ends with a Haiku, which is intended to serve as a brief reflection that compliments the prose. The Haiku can echo an image, expand on your theme, or create a different perspective, but at the same time it needs to establish a connection with the prose section.

The prose is pretty much self-explanatory, all you need is the ability to write a paragraph. You can include things in the prose that you do not have space for in the Haiku, but at the same time, you do not want the prose to overpower the Haiku.

The Haibun will typically avoid using a first person perspective, using more objective description instead. It often explores themes of nature or the seasons, or it could be personal introspection.

You can extend the length of your Haibun by alternating segments of prose and Haiku until you reach the length you wish. Most of the examples I came across, however, have shown only one of each. My own example only has one of each, but I would like to explore this form further, creating a longer Haibun.


It is hard to trust the Weather Network’s report of a day of sunshine when the rain comes sweeping in from across the lake. The smell of ozone accompanies the symphony of thunder as the water churns, whitecaps forming on the crests – the lake is angry. Meanwhile the flowers in the garden bow under the driving force of the rain. Steam rises from the hot earth as the clouds clear, only to repeat the pattern another day.

dark clouds over the
surface of the black water—
chased by a pale sun.