I remember being introduced to Japanese haiku in elementary school during English language class. We were taught in Kansas that haiku are a form of poetry. I remember the teacher saying that the key to this style is rhythm. The syllables should follow a specific pattern. Haiku are intended to be short but descriptive. It is important to use just a few words to create an image that is at once vague and yet also amazingly vivid. At that time, haiku seemed to be terse but beautiful.