Stillness

Stillness - form Summary

Haiku's Concentrated Observation

This three-line haiku relies on the form's extreme brevity to compress a single, striking image. The isolated word Stillness functions as a pivot; the following image of a cicada's cry drilling into rock forces an abrupt sensory contrast. The haiku's compactness intensifies the collision of quiet and penetrating sound, producing a sudden, reflective tension characteristic of traditional Japanese haiku. The lineation isolates the opening noun, sharpening the turn.