Granville Redmond was able to create a narrative landscape through the use of his paintbrush. His paintings transport the viewer to quiet scenes and create feelings of serenity. Haiku poetry has a similar ability to create a narrative and peaceful reactions with only a few words and syllables.

Haiku is a short form of Japanese poetry that traditionally consists of three phrases with a specific number of syllables creating each line. The most popular form is broken down into 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables again. A haiku traditionally contains a kigo, a word or phrase that symbolizes or implies the season of the poem.

One of the best-known Japanese haiku is Bashō’s “Old Pond.”

古池や蛙飛び込む水の音
ふるいけやかわずとびこむみずのおと

This separates into:
fu-ru-i-ke ya (5)
ka-wa-zu to-bi-ko-mu (7)
mi-zu-no-o-to (5)

Translated:
old pond
frog leaps in
water’s sound

Sun lit hills and sea (5)
Golden poppies glowing bright (7)
Deep breaths in and out (5)