Japanese poetry is a form of literature that has been around for centuries. HAIKU and tanka are two of the most popular forms of Japanese poetry. HAIKU is a three-line poem with a 5-7-5 syllable structure, while tanka is a five-line poem with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable structure. Both HAIKU and tanka are used to express emotions and observations about nature and everyday life. They are often written in the present tense and focus on the beauty of the natural world.