Tankas feel similar to a haiku because haikus originated from tankas. The first three lines of a tanka could be a haiku all on their own. Though they seem simple on the surface, traditional tankas have a lot at work behind the words. Original, Japanese tankas included words and phrases...
I disagree that haiku may encompass human nature. Traditionally, haiku are observations of nature. They are single moments of observation wherein the poet is moved on some level, but the poet is never introduced to the poem. There is no “I” or implication of “I” except that it is an...