I have a tendency to be too wordy in my writing, so to learn more focus and control, I have been studying (and writing) haiku. The Haiku Handbook has been an engaging resource for me in those efforts. Each of the book's five sections contains a wealth of ideas and information that both challenges and inspires:



Part One: Haiku Old and New [A great introduction to the experience of haiku and to Japanese Masters. The "Why Haiku" is helpful in clarifying one's purpose for writing such brief poetry.]



Part Two: The Art of Haiku [Natural themes, the form and craft of haiku; this is the section that I like best, and I repeatedly refer back to these pages. I especially enjoy how the author discusses the difference in Japanese and English languages.]



Part Three: Teaching Haiku [How to teach haiku writing to children, lesson plan included]



Part Four: Before and Beyond Haiku [Haiku and its uses]



Reference Section [With Season-Word List & Glossary]



Overall, this is a worthy product for anyone who wishes to delve into haiku more deeply than the introduction that most Westerners receive.