Old Pond

“Old Pond” follows the five-seven-five syllabic pattern of classic haiku; that is, there are five syllables in the first and third lines and seven syllables in the second line. It is important to note translated haiku might not always have the syllabic pattern of the original because of how words translate. For instance, the first line of this haiku, “Furuike ya,” contains two words totaling five syllables. But Hass’s translation of the first line, “The Old Pond,” is three words that add up to three syllables.

Traditional haiku tend to focus on nature. “Old Pond” adheres to this focus with its scene of a frog jumping into a pond. Moreover, haiku often invoke a kigo, which is a direct or indirect reference to a season. Since a frog is splashing in water, the reader knows it’s warm enough for a frog to emerge without freezing or being cold; “Old Pond” thereby suggests it’s springtime.

Another element of haiku is the kireji, the cutting word. Think of this cutting word as spoken punctuation. The kireji allows for the resolution of the poem and/or a shift in the poem’s subject matter; it suggests the reader stop to contemplate something before the next revelation.