Introduction to Haikus

Mark Twain said that the difference between almost the right word and just the right word is like the difference between the lightning bug and lightning. I think that captures something of the virtue of the haiku. By limiting themselves to the haiku structure of three lines of five syllables, then seven, then five, we poets force ourselves to get to the point right away, using just the right words. The hope is to impact the listener/reader with speed and power, like a bolt of lightning.