Poetry is Fun

Haiku

Haiku

Major form of Japanese verse evolving in 17th century

17 syllables separated into 3 lines of 5, 7, and 5

does not rhyme Usually contains allusions or comparisons Written on the subject of nature

Haiku (continued)

The “Haiku moment” is a specific event or observation that brought an “ah” from deep within you.

Zen, often associated with haiku, is a discipline of harmonizing the body with the mind.

Being one with nature does not mean being sentimental; it sees the world as it is: beautiful and harsh, elegant and savage.

Haiku (continued) Traditional Haiku must refer to the time of year:

mentioned by name or simply implied. Haiku is exact: don’t write how it affected you,

write exactly what took place. Haiku is a moment captured while in solitude Haiku often has a “twist” in the experience; the

unexpected has occurred and is celebrated. Haiku does not use complete sentences; each line

is a complete thought, but is open ended so the reader can continue the experience

Haiku lines have little, if any, punctuation Always written in present tense

Example

Under cherry trees

Soup, the salad, fish and all

Seasoned with petals.

-Matsuo Basho

Example

Tentatively, you

Slip onstage this evening,

Pallid, famous moon.

-Carolyn Kizer

Example

“The Rose”

The red blossom bends

and drips its dew to the ground.

Like a tear it falls

-Donna Brock

Example

See the red berries…

Fallen like little footprints

On the garden snow

- Shiki

Example

Little silver fish

Pointing upstream moving downstream

In clear quick water

- Soseki

Haiku

Pearl ringlet sunburstencompassing the captive

dry leaf that’s fallen

Richard Morrell1979

Haiku Haiku by Cindy F (2006)by Cindy F (2006)

The girl in the foamThe girl in the foam

Seeing her I touch the mistSeeing her I touch the mist

Veiling my childhood.Veiling my childhood.

Haiku: The Blue Sky

Blue skyStars scattered to bright

Like fish in the sea

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Walking through the streetHer hair flutters in spring breezeLong distance from love

- Dora H (Feb. 2007)

Haiku The dew in morningHang on the flower petalClean and shiny…

- Bingjie X (Feb. 2007)

Your Turn!!!

Write a haiku using the appropriate rules and add it to your power point poetry portfolio