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New York City Haiku
One hundred fifty
haiku on New York City
in just three lines each.
New York City Haiku collects 150 of the best haiku inspired by the Big Apple. These succinct three-line poems express not only the personal experiences of every New Yorker (or New Yorker at heart), but also the universal truths about living and loving everything that New York has to offer as well.
Written by poets of all ages and from across the country, this affordable and giftable collection creates an honest and often hilarious volume chronicling what New York is all about. A must-have for anyone who aspires to "make it there," New York City Haiku is a thoughtful and fun testament to the city and its people.
haiku on New York City
in just three lines each.
New York City Haiku collects 150 of the best haiku inspired by the Big Apple. These succinct three-line poems express not only the personal experiences of every New Yorker (or New Yorker at heart), but also the universal truths about living and loving everything that New York has to offer as well.
Written by poets of all ages and from across the country, this affordable and giftable collection creates an honest and often hilarious volume chronicling what New York is all about. A must-have for anyone who aspires to "make it there," New York City Haiku is a thoughtful and fun testament to the city and its people.
- GenresPoetryNonfiction
128 pages, Hardcover
Published February 14, 2017
1 person is currently reading
105 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 4, 2017
4.5 stars. April is National Poetry Month and in honor of celebrating this month, I read "New York City Haiku." This book is made up of entries that give you a taste of this city that never sleeps from readers of the New York Times. The Times ran a contest to have people write haikus, very simple poems, about all different aspects of the city.
New York City is definitely one of my favorite cities to visit. It's so different then Washington, D.C. and feels like a true metropolis to me. I love the way that the haikus in their shortness and simplicity allowed people to hone in on some of the feelings that you get being in the city and experiencing all that it has to offer. Some of the poems are funny and some are more somber. It was so interesting to see people take one medium of poem and do so much with it.
Another great aspect of this book is that there are some are some are wonderful illustrations included that definitely added to the overall feeling of the book. I really enjoyed this one and found it to be a great way to celebrate National Poetry Month.
New York City is definitely one of my favorite cities to visit. It's so different then Washington, D.C. and feels like a true metropolis to me. I love the way that the haikus in their shortness and simplicity allowed people to hone in on some of the feelings that you get being in the city and experiencing all that it has to offer. Some of the poems are funny and some are more somber. It was so interesting to see people take one medium of poem and do so much with it.
Another great aspect of this book is that there are some are some are wonderful illustrations included that definitely added to the overall feeling of the book. I really enjoyed this one and found it to be a great way to celebrate National Poetry Month.
January 2, 2018
Odes to that metropolis, seventeen syllables at a time.
September 14, 2018
Wonderful words here...so proud to have one of my pieces included.
April 6, 2017
When I was in high school, I learned how to write Haiku poetry and it quickly became one of my favorite forms of poetry. So when I saw New York City Haiku, I knew I wanted to read it. In 2014, The New York Times invited its readers to write about NYC in 3 lines. What happened? The readers responded to the challenge by sending in 2800 submissions in ten days!
I loved reading these haiku! They really captured the spirit of New York City, its people, places, food, culture and attitudes. I read some of them to my husband and we cracked up. Like this one:
Tourists in New York
Three abreast, strolling, chatting:
I want to shove you.
Others made us reflect, like those that featured the homeless or loneliness. The poems are creative and succinctly describe NYC and its people. I loved this one:
Rainy Monday, you
won't defeat my stilettos.
Red soles leap puddles.
The black and white illustrations are perfect for this book. They fit the tone of the book and whimsically capture NYC. Most of the poems are written by New Yorkers, but there are are some from readers in other states and even other countries.
If you love New York City and poetry, then you will love this neat little book. The fact that it contains poetry from people of all ages and backgrounds who share readership of The New York Times makes this a unique collection about a unique city.
An entertaining, thought-provoking and worthy collection of haiku.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. I willingly chose to read it and to post an honest review of it.
I loved reading these haiku! They really captured the spirit of New York City, its people, places, food, culture and attitudes. I read some of them to my husband and we cracked up. Like this one:
Tourists in New York
Three abreast, strolling, chatting:
I want to shove you.
Others made us reflect, like those that featured the homeless or loneliness. The poems are creative and succinctly describe NYC and its people. I loved this one:
Rainy Monday, you
won't defeat my stilettos.
Red soles leap puddles.
The black and white illustrations are perfect for this book. They fit the tone of the book and whimsically capture NYC. Most of the poems are written by New Yorkers, but there are are some from readers in other states and even other countries.
If you love New York City and poetry, then you will love this neat little book. The fact that it contains poetry from people of all ages and backgrounds who share readership of The New York Times makes this a unique collection about a unique city.
An entertaining, thought-provoking and worthy collection of haiku.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. I willingly chose to read it and to post an honest review of it.
October 30, 2022
On page seven of The New York Times Book Review, Sunday, May 29, 2022, the ad read “One hundred fifty haiku on New York City in just three lines each."
Available wherever books are sold, “150 of the best haiku inspired by the Big Apple – a thoughtful and fun testament to the city and its people.”
This is great - a book I could read standing in line, waiting to be seen or in the dentist’s chair (where the pic was taken). It would be fun, light, handy. I could take my time.
Five months later, the book is in my hands and it’s copyrighted 2017! No fair NYT. No matter, Haiku is universal and time immemorial; one can reflect forever.
“The City’s timeless.
But still, don’t let it fool you.
It’s never the same.”
Selected from thousands of readers’ submissions, New York City Haiku has something to offer everyone who’s ever ventured, grew up, longed for, or eventually made it there. As with every collection, we have our favorites; moreover, what is striking is that it doesn’t attempt to gloss over, at once singing its praises …
“Walk in the City
Can’t ignore the outstretched hands
Give kind words and food”
... or
“I have a dollar
But I’m saving it for you
L train drum couple.”
… yet also reminding you exactly where you are:
“Tourists in New York
Three abreast, strolling, chatting:
I want to shove you.”
“The free subway breeze
Is notorious to please
When spring is in bloom.”
“Eight million people.
Looking at something ahead.
But no eye contact.”
Nevertheless, what makes New York City Haiku an enjoyable, yet reflective read is its universal tone:
“Adrift in a sea.
We’re all in this together.
We won’t let you drown.”
You’ll find love and loneliness on the subway; that the deli where you ate a hot pastrami is now a Chase bank, and some who will move to Jersey because the rent’s too high.
Where no one visits.
Available wherever books are sold, “150 of the best haiku inspired by the Big Apple – a thoughtful and fun testament to the city and its people.”
This is great - a book I could read standing in line, waiting to be seen or in the dentist’s chair (where the pic was taken). It would be fun, light, handy. I could take my time.
Five months later, the book is in my hands and it’s copyrighted 2017! No fair NYT. No matter, Haiku is universal and time immemorial; one can reflect forever.
“The City’s timeless.
But still, don’t let it fool you.
It’s never the same.”
Selected from thousands of readers’ submissions, New York City Haiku has something to offer everyone who’s ever ventured, grew up, longed for, or eventually made it there. As with every collection, we have our favorites; moreover, what is striking is that it doesn’t attempt to gloss over, at once singing its praises …
“Walk in the City
Can’t ignore the outstretched hands
Give kind words and food”
... or
“I have a dollar
But I’m saving it for you
L train drum couple.”
… yet also reminding you exactly where you are:
“Tourists in New York
Three abreast, strolling, chatting:
I want to shove you.”
“The free subway breeze
Is notorious to please
When spring is in bloom.”
“Eight million people.
Looking at something ahead.
But no eye contact.”
Nevertheless, what makes New York City Haiku an enjoyable, yet reflective read is its universal tone:
“Adrift in a sea.
We’re all in this together.
We won’t let you drown.”
You’ll find love and loneliness on the subway; that the deli where you ate a hot pastrami is now a Chase bank, and some who will move to Jersey because the rent’s too high.
Where no one visits.
July 12, 2023
I didn't realize this was a collection of haikus put together from reader submissions.
Some were funny, some were true snippets of NYC life, but most were just plain meh. :-/
THE FUNNY:
Tourists in New York
Three abreast, strolling, chatting:
I want to shove you.
-Carolyn Lengel
I would take a G
And ride in the smelly car,
to be close to you
-Jeffrey Yurcan
Pizza with a fork?
DeBlasi OH MY GOODNES!!!!!!
Go to Confession!
-Robert D. Diamant
THE SNIPPITS:
Drooling, snoring folk
Bobbing heads sway to and fro
Those subway sleepers
-Carol Davis
There are places in
Central Park, where you see no
Buildings, only trees.
-Laura Seigle
Woman falls on street.
Crowd of ambitious strangers
Competes to help her.
-Alison Klinger
MY FAVORITES:
I lost my headphones
but found the subway had
music of its own
-Scott Percelay
"Still a neighborhood,"
He smiles -Yiddish memories,
Spanish in the air
-Chris O'Carroll
If build and destroy
Are music notes, our Island
Is a symphony.
-Laura Seigle
Tall island lady,
welcoming all who come here.
Oh, New York! Freedom!
-Georgia Stapleton
Some were funny, some were true snippets of NYC life, but most were just plain meh. :-/
THE FUNNY:
Tourists in New York
Three abreast, strolling, chatting:
I want to shove you.
-Carolyn Lengel
I would take a G
And ride in the smelly car,
to be close to you
-Jeffrey Yurcan
Pizza with a fork?
DeBlasi OH MY GOODNES!!!!!!
Go to Confession!
-Robert D. Diamant
THE SNIPPITS:
Drooling, snoring folk
Bobbing heads sway to and fro
Those subway sleepers
-Carol Davis
There are places in
Central Park, where you see no
Buildings, only trees.
-Laura Seigle
Woman falls on street.
Crowd of ambitious strangers
Competes to help her.
-Alison Klinger
MY FAVORITES:
I lost my headphones
but found the subway had
music of its own
-Scott Percelay
"Still a neighborhood,"
He smiles -Yiddish memories,
Spanish in the air
-Chris O'Carroll
If build and destroy
Are music notes, our Island
Is a symphony.
-Laura Seigle
Tall island lady,
welcoming all who come here.
Oh, New York! Freedom!
-Georgia Stapleton
January 31, 2021
Such a fun read and I love how it's all about NYC!
Some of my faves:
“Eight million people
Looking at something ahead.
But no eye contact.”
-Ira Leviton
“morning train, no smiles.
why? I imagine that each
person aches inside.”
-Millet Israeli
“Rainy Monday, you
won’t defeat my stilettos.
Red soles leap puddles.”
-Melissa Morris
“The deli where you
and I ate hot pastrami
Is a Chase bank now.”
-Laura Baranik
“Beware the puddle
of indeterminate depth
that swallows boots whole.”
-Mary Suk
“I know you, don’t I?
You were me five years ago,
Dreaming of New York.”
-Adam Bard
Some of my faves:
“Eight million people
Looking at something ahead.
But no eye contact.”
-Ira Leviton
“morning train, no smiles.
why? I imagine that each
person aches inside.”
-Millet Israeli
“Rainy Monday, you
won’t defeat my stilettos.
Red soles leap puddles.”
-Melissa Morris
“The deli where you
and I ate hot pastrami
Is a Chase bank now.”
-Laura Baranik
“Beware the puddle
of indeterminate depth
that swallows boots whole.”
-Mary Suk
“I know you, don’t I?
You were me five years ago,
Dreaming of New York.”
-Adam Bard
April 30, 2024
You would have to intimately know New York, especially the subway system, to appreciate the accuracy of this small volume. I could hear, see, and smell the city, so many memories popped up as I read. I found myself smiling often.
I would have expected better quality on some selections, given that it’s such a small volume. Some hit me as too fluffy. Not true haiku but snapshots nonetheless. not sure how much a non-New Yorker would appreciate this, but there are some gems in here. In case you want to know New York culture better.
Well done, poets! You nailed New York and New Yorkers. 👌🏻
I would have expected better quality on some selections, given that it’s such a small volume. Some hit me as too fluffy. Not true haiku but snapshots nonetheless. not sure how much a non-New Yorker would appreciate this, but there are some gems in here. In case you want to know New York culture better.
Well done, poets! You nailed New York and New Yorkers. 👌🏻
October 1, 2025
Cute. Reader submissions, so not exactly top-notch poetry, but enjoyable. Or is it just tickling my nostalgia...?
curse the day I left
energy and awesomeness
now I Amtrak in
- Susan M. Chagrin, Fulton, MD
curse the day I left
energy and awesomeness
now I Amtrak in
- Susan M. Chagrin, Fulton, MD
January 6, 2018
I was in a little book shop, and I came across this little treasure. I loved reading this book! I have read it twice in two days!!
February 7, 2018
Lovely little book full of poems about my favorite city. Quick, easy read.
April 5, 2018
Cute little book of 5-7-5 haiku, give it an extra star if you feel alone in a crowd or live in NYC.
November 18, 2018
Being a New Yorker, I enjoyed this read, very simple and easy.
February 15, 2019
cute very quick read from writers around the globe uniting on the topic of the greatest city in the world <3
February 2, 2020
Really cute.
A few of the haiku were quite uplifting and optimistic.
A few of the haiku were quite uplifting and optimistic.
June 2, 2021
"The New yorker is
Not kind, they say. I say, he
Just left it at home."
Flor Arley Hodge, Bronx, NY
haikais
e amores de metrô:
como não?
Not kind, they say. I say, he
Just left it at home."
Flor Arley Hodge, Bronx, NY
haikais
e amores de metrô:
como não?
January 28, 2022
Very calming to read haiku. Centering. Stilling.
April 22, 2022
I normally don’t like poetry, but this was surprisingly sweet and thought-provoking
June 1, 2022
Buenísima compilación de haikus escritos por lectores y lectoras de @nytimes. La poesía de transitar y de habitar alrededor de la gran manzana.
October 12, 2022
Cute. A fun read. I think it was smart of the nyt to have certain categories for the poems. Helped with cohesion. I was (briefly) entertained by this.
March 4, 2023
Read them all while in NYC. So relevant.
January 7, 2024
Beautiful haiku poems of NYC the subway ones are epic and spot on
October 9, 2019
a collection of
haiku about the city
so nice it's named twice
emotions invoked
experiences described
of Big Apple life
haiku about the city
so nice it's named twice
emotions invoked
experiences described
of Big Apple life
April 22, 2017
There was a lot of good haiku, but there were also some that I didn't enjoy as much. What I like the most about this book was that I was just in NYC, and I could relate must of the poems.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews