Haiku Japanese Poetry How to write a haiku

Haiku Japanese Poetry

How to write a haiku: • 3 lines total • Line 1 – 5 syllables • Line 2 – 7 syllables • Line 3 – 5 syllables

Why so short? • Containing just seventeen syllables, the haiku cannot capture a "big picture. " • One depicts them in tiny images of incredible beauty, something glorious that might be missed if the writer had not taken the time to point it out. • In a haiku one may depict a drop of water on a leaf reflecting early morning light, the smell of the evening dew. • A traditional haiku is about serenity and peace. It is getting in touch with nature; it feels like a walk in the woods.

Examples: The red blossom bends and drips its dew to the ground. Like a tear it falls A gentle breeze blows Taking the scent of a bud Along for the ride. Sand scatters the beach Waves crash on the sandy shore Blue water shimmers

Examples: Something on the news About people acting odd, So I switch to sports. They surround the car And are all moaning something Is that the word “trains”? ! Will this barricade Keep the walking dead at bay? Only time will tell… From Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry for Your…. Brains

Your turn! • Write THREE Haiku, each one connecting in some way. • Don’t forget to pay attention to the structure of your poem (5, 7, 5) • Make an illustration to match your poems • Your Haiku will be hung on the classroom wall : )