Come’on now… 3 little lines – how hard can it be? The challenge of a specific rhythmic constraint in short form poetry is divine. More on this can be found on this website:
“The 5-7-5 syllable rhythm in Japanese haiku is not the matter of arbitrary choice that it may appear to be to a non-Japanese haiku writer.”
http://www.ahapoetry.com/KEIRULE.HTM
Well sure, lots of folks can put together 3 lines and call it a haiku poem. But it takes talent to have it make you stop, pause and reflect.
Summer time again.
The trees need to be watered.
Give them a drink now.
is a far cry from:
Summer scalds the trees.
They shrivel squint at the sun…
Take deep sighes at night
The first haiku tells you it’s hot and everything needs watering. The second one has you empathizing with the trees and you can actually picture them scrunching up their leaves and being a little pissed at the sun for shining a little to warmly. Then you picture them getting relief in the evening and hopefully take a deep sigh yourself at the end. That’s the point… It’s not just about painting a pretty picture with words (although is fine…). It’s even more impressive when a haiku can give you an emotional shift or communicate something.