by James Kirkup

Haiku should be just

small stones dropping down a well

with a small splash

Original source unknown. This is of course not a haiku at all but an instruction or admonition that by its very nature makes it un-haiku. Kirkup was a prolific writer and translator of haiku and other poetry, and would most likely have quickly advised his readers that this poem is not actually a haiku, even while he adhered to 5-7-5 syllable counting with most of his haiku. In any case, it’s easy to agree that a good haiku can indeed be like a pebble splashing in a well.