New form of haiku, which I'm calling haikuku. Formula:

  • start with a well known haiku
  • type it in a language translation app
  • have it translated into a random language
  • copy the new haiku
  • translate it again into a different random language
  • repeat a minimum of 5 times
  • then a final translation back into the original language

Example, using what may be the most famous haiku of all time, written by Basho:

Old pond…
a frog jumps in
water's sound

English > Maori > Urdu > Coriscan > Haitian Creole > Esperanto > Japanese > English

Final version:

old pond…
the frog jumped out
crying tears

Of course, this can be done with any kind of writing. Poetry or prose. Short or long (but not so long that readers might lose interest). Works best for widely known words.

Also see haiQu.