Haiku Poems About Birthdays

Haiku poems with a birthday theme can be a welcome addition to any birthday celebration. Selecting or writing a haiku poem can be made easier if you know some information about haiku poems, see some examples of birthday haiku and learn some helpful information about writing a birthday haiku.

It is not difficult to find or write a haiku with a birthday theme. One thing to remember is that many times in haiku there are two different things or ideas.

Here are a few examples of haiku poems which you can enjoy on any birthday:

Birthday Haiku Poem #1

This first haiku poem starts with the fact about a birthday happening, then changes to the fact or the wish that the person will have many more birthdays.

This is your birthday,

Happy birthday, celebrate,

Many more to come.

Birthday Haiku Poem #2

This second haiku poem about birthdays starts with a fact and ends with an invitation.

I’m one year older

I’m wiser and glad, for sure

Come friends, celebrate.

Writing Your Own Birthday Haiku Poems

If you are interested in a birthday haiku, perhaps you would like to write your own for a special birthday boy, girl, man or woman. Fortunately, learning to write a haiku is not that hard, so try your hand at it.

You need to learn the rules for how you must write a haiku, so you can ensure your poem is authentic and in the proper Japanese haiku style.

• A haiku is a three line poem.
• The first line has 5 moras, the second has seven, and the last one has three.
• A mora in Japanese is like a syllable in English.

Beginning in the 9th century, composing poems was a popular activity. It was a multi-person task, as it progressed from one person to the next. This “tanka” started with one person composing a three line poem with a 5-7-5- structure. Then the next person would add to it with a two line poem with a 7-7 structure. This could go on for quite a while.

The first three lines was called a hokku, which means “playful verse,” and was very important, as it set the tone for the whole poem. By the 19th century, this first poem started being composed by one person.

The word haiku is derived from the word hokku. The subject matter of hokku was generally life and nature. Remember that the moras will not be the same as syllables in English when the Japanese words are translated.  

Haiku Themes

Haiku are about senses and perception. Think about the theme of your haiku - in this case, birthdays - and write down a few words that relate to it. You can write about:

• The person having the birthday
• The party you might be having
• The age, for example turning 40, or 5.
• Your feelings or opinions about the birthday person on the special day

Brainstorm a few ideas until you can put something together that is in keeping with your theme. You can make it funny, serious or heartfelt, so that it matches the style of haiku you want to write. Then, just make sure the count of syllables is correct and you'll have a great birthday haiku.