Haiga unites poetry (Haiku) and graphical figures (ga).

Haiku (japanese haikai: farce), lyrical shortened form of Japanese poetry which consists of three rhymeless lines with five, seven and five syllables which, although extremely concise, grasp the complexity of an object typically and appropriately.

Traditionally and ideally a Haiku introduces two contrasting ideas, one indicating space and time, the other an alive but brief observation. The contrast is supposed to stimulate the intellectual world of the reader. The poet does not comment on the connection but leaves the synthesis of this imagination to the reader alone. The Haiku was developed from the initial stage of an older lyrical genre, the chain-poem (renga). This was cultivated in the 15^th and 16^th century especially by monks of the Zen-Buddhism and reached with Matsuo Basho as acknowledged master of this form of poetry its highest perfection. Further eminent representatives of Haiku are Yosa Buson, Kobajaschi Issa Masaoka Shiki.

Source: Microsoft Encarta, 2001

The picture is painted in Sumi-e technique as a sketchy addition to or interpretation of the Haiku.

The Haiku which belong to the here shown Haiga were handed down from tradition. Responsible for the calligraphic transposition is  

____________________________________________________