Senryu poems are written much the same as a Haiku poem in English. Senryu takes the form of three nonrhyming lines written in a 5/7/5 syllable count written in the present tense. At this point, I can hear your thoughts…

So, what’s the difference between a Haiku and a Senryu?

Penandthepad.com states:

“Many traditional senryu focuses on awkward romances, confused children and other scenes that allow the poet to poke fun at human nature. One poet writes of a child searching for his shoes, unable to find them because they are on his feet. Another poet writes of a man squinting to read the word “optician.”

The object of this form is to offer the image of a human in action, doing something relatable, familiar, ironic or even embarrassing. When writing senryu, you could choose moments from your own life that have caused you, or others, to giggle.

Perspective and…