Hajkoj, poezio, ktp

Three lines. Some say that the first line should contain five syllables, the second seven, and the third five again— Others say that that's not really appropriate for foreign languages. Contrariwise, I might argue that application to other languages would simply result in a different but equally valid universe of possibilities. But then I just don't worry about it.

With non-Japanese
language one often cannot
fully express a

Some say that the first and second lines should appear unrelated, until tied together by the third; I suspect that this was inspired by the basic word order of the Japanese language, subject object verb, or perhaps it was some third thing that influenced both language and poem.

A seasonal reference is good.

88. How To Write a Chinese Poem

A well-known Japanese poet was asked how to compose a Chinese poem.

"The usual Chinese poem is four lines," he explained. "The first line contains the initial phase; the second line, the continuation of that phase; the third line turns from this subject and begins a new one; and the fourth line brings the first three lines together. A popular Japanese song illustrates this:

Two daughters of a silk merchant live in Kyoto.
The elder is twenty, the younger, eighteen.
A soldier may kill with his sword,
But these girls slay men with their eyes."

Bufo vokas

Aero turbula.
  Kafo
 makulas la libron.

Aero tumultema.
  Mia libro
 kafe makulita.

Walking to my car after work

Incarnation

Elgin quartz
Brown octagon
Still on my wall.

Pluvas

La Figuro

En koridoro preterpasas,
Alta, svelta, hararo longa.
Bonan matenon.

Blanketa robo, travidebla,
Blanka kalsoneto,
Figuro siluetiĝas negre
De robo diafana.

Karesante la postaĵon,
Pasante la angulon,
Figuro siluetiĝas nigre
De suno tralumanta.