Haiku such as "kyo" () may look like two syllables to English speakers but are in fact a single "on" (as well as a single syllable) in Japanese. In 1973, the Haiku Society of America noted that the norm for writers of haiku in English was to use 17 syllables, but they also noted a trend toward shorter haiku. Shorter haiku are very much more common in 21st century English haiku writing. Some translators of Japanese poetry have noted that about 12 syllables in English approximate the duration of 17 Japanese "on". Also in translations four lines is more appropriate for
Kenneth Yasuda His other books include "A Pepper-pod: Classic Japanese Poems Together with Original Haiku," a collection of haiku and translations in English; "Masterworks of the Noh Theater"; "A Lacquer Box", translation of waka and a translation of "Minase Sangin Hyakuin", a 100-verse renga poem led by Sōgi and titled in English as "Three Poets at Minase". Yasuda's 1957 book consists mainly of material from his doctoral dissertation from 1955, and includes both translations from Japanese and original poems of his own in English. These had previously appeared in his book "A Pepper-Pod: Classic Japanese Poems together with Original Haiku" (Alfred A.