Shiki (October 14, 1867 – September 19, 1902) may be credited with salvaging traditional short-form Japanese poetry and carving out a niche for it in the modern Meiji Period. While he advocated reform of haiku, this reform was based on the idea that haiku was a legitimate literary genre. He argued that haiku should be judged by the same yardstick that is used when measuring the value of other forms of literature–something that was contrary to views held by prior poets. Shiki firmly placed haiku in the category of literature, and this was unique.
Some modern haiku are typified by deviating from the traditional use of 5-7-5 sound pattern and dispensing with the kigo ("season word"); Shiki's haiku reform advocated neither break with tradition...
image and text from Wikipedia
松杉や枯野の中の不動堂
matsu sugi ya kareno no naka no Fudōdō
pines and cedars -
in the withered fields
the Hall of Fudo
--
Masaoka Shiki at Takahata Fudo Hall
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