The best examples of haiku that tell a story (and how to write your own)

Story-first examples of haiku that tell a story

Let’s start with the fun part: actual poems.

Here’s a modern example of haiku that tells a story in three quick beats:

Missed the last train home
vending machine hums at 2 a.m.
I text, “I’m okay.”

There’s a clear narrative arc here:

• Beginning: The speaker misses the last train.
• Middle: They’re stuck somewhere late at night with only a vending machine for company.
• End: They reassure someone—maybe a parent, partner, or friend—with a text that might or might not be true.

This is one of the best examples of how a haiku can do more than show a pretty image; it can hint at relationships, mood, and stakes, all without explaining everything.

Here’s another example of haiku that tells a story, this time about family and distance:

Airport security—
my father’s hands shake as he
removes his old belt

You can feel the story: aging, vulnerability, the awkward intimacy of public checkpoints. No exposition, just a moment that suggests a whole life.

When people ask for examples of examples of haiku that tell a story, they’re usually looking for poems like these—tiny narratives where something quietly changes between line one and line three.

Classic and modern examples of haiku that tell a story

Even the old masters wrote story-driven haiku. They didn’t think in terms of “plot,” but they absolutely captured narrative moments.

Take this famous haiku by Matsuo Bashō (translated in many versions):

On a withered branch
a crow has settled—
autumn evening

On the surface, it’s just a scene. But read as story, the crow arrives, the branch is already withered, and “autumn evening” feels like a closing curtain. The poem moves from specific image (branch + crow) to a wider emotional frame (the season, the time of day). That widening creates a narrative feeling.

Another Bashō haiku often cited as an example of story in miniature:

First winter rain—
even the monkey
needs a raincoat

You can almost storyboard it: the weather shifts, the monkey is caught in the cold, and suddenly it’s dressed like a little person. It’s funny, but it also hints at adaptation, survival, and human encroachment.

Modern English-language haiku lean even more into storytelling. For instance:

Divorce papers signed—
the cat still chooses
his side of the bed

We don’t need backstory. The scene—papers, cat, bed—tells us everything. This is one of those real examples of haiku that tell a story where the emotional punch comes from what’s not said.

Another contemporary narrative haiku:

Zoom call freezes;
my boss mid-blink, then my kid
asks, “Are you happy?”

Here, technology glitches, work life pauses, and a child’s question slices through the artificial stillness. The story is about interruption, but also about priorities.

These examples include both classic and current voices, but they all share one thing: a sense that time is passing, something is happening, and we’re catching the exact moment where it matters.

How a haiku can hold a whole story

To write your own examples of haiku that tell a story, it helps to think less about syllable-count perfection and more about movement.

Most narrative haiku follow a simple pattern:

• Line 1: Situation or setup
• Line 2: Development, tension, or contrast
• Line 3: Shift, realization, or quiet punchline

Consider this haiku about growing up:

Childhood treehouse—
realtor calls it “extra space”
I don’t correct her

The first line gives us a past. The second line gives us the present, filtered through someone else’s language. The third line is the choice: silence. That tiny decision carries years of memory and loss.

Narrative haiku often feel like the last shot of a short film. We don’t see everything that led there, but the image is loaded with story.

If you want more background on haiku as a form, resources like the Poetry Foundation and university writing centers (for example, Purdue OWL) give solid overviews of history and structure.

Real examples of haiku that tell a story from everyday life

Some of the best examples of story-driven haiku come from ordinary routines. Think about your day as a sequence of tiny scenes.

Here are several real-feeling scenarios turned into haiku:

Night shift break room—
someone leaves a note: “Free cake”
only crumbs remain

We infer the rest: tired workers, small acts of kindness, arriving too late. It’s a whole workplace story in three lines.

Snow day announced;
my teen rolls over, back to sleep—
I make cocoa anyway

Parent-child dynamics, changing priorities, quiet love. No explanation needed.

High school reunion;
the class clown shows baby pics—
no one makes a joke

Here, the story is about time, maturity, and how roles shift.

Power outage—
neighbors I’ve never met
share candles on the porch

This one moves from isolation to community in a single evening.

These are the kinds of real examples of haiku that tell a story people connect with in 2024 and 2025: technology, work, parenting, climate, community. The specifics make them feel like lived experience rather than abstract “nature moments.”

Modern trends: haiku, social media, and micro-stories

Haiku has quietly become a natural fit for social platforms—short, visual, and shareable. If you scroll through writing communities on Reddit or short-form posts on X or Threads, you’ll find plenty of examples of haiku that tell a story about:

• Remote work and burnout
• Online dating and ghosting
• Climate anxiety and extreme weather
• Mental health and therapy

For instance, a very 2024-flavored haiku:

Therapy at ten;
my phone says, “low battery”
I say, “same here.”

Or this one about climate and daily life:

October heat wave—
Halloween masks stick with sweat
kids still shout “Boo!”

These examples include contemporary language and humor, but they’re still haiku: brief, image-driven, with a subtle shift or surprise.

If you’re interested in the mental health side of writing short poems, organizations like the National Institute of Mental Health and NIH have resources on expressive writing and emotional well-being. Many writers use narrative haiku as a low-pressure daily practice to check in with themselves.

How to write your own examples of haiku that tell a story

Let’s turn this into something you can actually do.

Instead of starting with a syllable counter, start with a moment that changed something, even slightly. Ask yourself:

• What happened right before this moment?
• What might happen after it?
• What tiny detail shows the shift?

Say you just watched your kid board a school bus for the first time. You might end up with something like:

First day of first grade—
his backpack bigger than him
I wave after he stops

Line by line, the story unfolds:

• Line 1: Setup (the event)
• Line 2: Visual exaggeration that hints at vulnerability
• Line 3: The emotional beat—you keep waving after he’s already moved on

Or maybe you just quit a job that was slowly draining you:

Last day at the firm—
the ficus I never watered
still leans toward the light

Here, the plant becomes a stand-in for you. The story is about survival, neglect, and quiet hope.

When people look for the best examples of haiku that tell a story, these are the patterns they’re really hunting for: a clear moment, a hint of before-and-after, and a detail that carries emotional weight.

Common patterns you’ll see in the best examples

If you read a lot of examples of haiku that tell a story, you’ll start to notice recurring moves:

1. The twist on the last line
The poem sets up one expectation, then gently flips it.

Wedding reception—
I catch the bouquet by chance
and don’t let it go

The story isn’t about superstition; it’s about a decision.

2. The silent character
Someone in the poem does not speak, and that silence tells you everything.

Nursing home hallway—
Grandma stares past the TV
when I say my name

3. The object that holds history
A thing becomes the center of the story.

Yard sale Saturday—
our old crib on the driveway
strangers test its rails

These patterns are worth studying if you want to write your own examples of examples of haiku that tell a story. They show you how much narrative you can pack into a single image.

For more on reading and writing short forms, university sites like Harvard’s writing resources can offer helpful guidance on clarity and concision—even though they’re aimed at essays, the same principles apply to poetry.

FAQ: Short answers and more examples

Q: Can you give a simple example of a haiku that tells a love story?
Yes. Here’s a quick one:

Two mugs in the sink—
one lipstick stain, one coffee
still warm from your hands

In three lines, we get presence, intimacy, and the hint that the other person just left the room.

Q: Do examples of haiku that tell a story have to follow 5-7-5 exactly?
In English, not necessarily. Many respected poets treat 5-7-5 as a guideline, not a hard rule, because English syllables don’t map neatly onto Japanese sounds. What matters most in these examples include: clear imagery, a sense of movement, and a meaningful shift.

Q: Are nature scenes still common in story-driven haiku?
Absolutely. Nature is still a major source of narrative. For example:

First spring after you—
the tulips bloom lopsided
where your chair once was

The flowers, the empty chair, and the season all work together to tell a story of grief and renewal.

Q: Where can I find more real examples of haiku that tell a story?
Look at:

• Online journals and haiku societies
• Poetry databases like the Poetry Foundation
• Local writing groups or workshops hosted by libraries and colleges

Reading widely will give you many different examples of tone, subject, and style.

Q: What’s one quick exercise to practice writing my own examples of haiku that tell a story?
Tonight, pick one tiny event from your day—a conversation, a commute, a meal. Write one sentence about what happened. Then:

• Cut it down to three lines
• Add one concrete image
• End with a small shift in feeling or perspective

You’ll be surprised how quickly you can create your own examples of haiku that tell a story just by paying attention to the little turning points in your day.