COMPOSING HAIKU

If ten people were asked to write a haiku about a spider's web you would have ten completely different poems.  And if you were to ask ten people about how to write a haiku, you would get ten completely different suggestions.  You can find many web pages with advice on how to get started. I will summarize a few of these sites in a moment but before we start looking at writing Haiku specifically let's examine writing in general. Do you remember learning about the "Writing Process" in English class?

Meditation - Let your mind rest and meditate on some aspect or image of nature or perhaps a picture in your mind. Let an image capture you and inspect it more closely to see what in that image makes you pause. Or you can try to empty your mind completely and allow an image to find you. When you feel you are ready, write down your thoughts in haiku form.
Ginko - Go for a traditional "haiku walk" Stroll through a garden or park. Sit for a while and experience what is around you. Take notes if you need to. Remember to use your "haiku eyes" as well as the rest of your senses. When inspiration strikes you are ready to compose.
Brainstorming - Look at the season words list you created and at your fellow student's lists. Select some words and images from among the lists then shape them into a poem, following the syllabication & imagery rules discussed in the lesson.
Closer examination - Pick a single word from your kigo list and examine it more closely - its color, smell, sound, shape, meaning and other attributes. Try to discover something new about it or to see it in a different way. Now convey that discovery in your haiku.

These are just a few ideas. You may even create your own method! There are several good sites for further information on composing haiku if you wish to read more. If you access these links during the lesson remember to click on the "Composing Haiku" graphic at the top of the lesson to return to this page.

A Haiku Homepage - written for school-aged children but extremely helpful
In the Moonlight a Worm - written for all ages
Haiku for People - a history, guide to writing, and examples
Haiku - how too, articles, samples, and links

Composing your haiku is only the first step. Examine your poem the next day and analyze it the way you did the other poems in the lesson. Pretend someone else wrote it if that will help you. Ask yourself:
Did you follow syllabication, kigo, and imagery rules discussed in the lesson?
Can you make your images sharper?
Can you edit any superfluous words?
Is it too explicit? Is it too mysterious?
Did you use literary devices?
Is there too much repetition?  (bright sunny day)

Look at the evolution of one of my haiku -

This has 18 syllables plus I felt like gust and blown seemed too repetitive. There was no real example of kigo. Also, "flower" is not that powerful an image so I made these changes -

ASSESSMENT!  Now you try!!

• Compose two traditional haiku.
• You may use any season and any method you wish but be sure to follow the rules of syllabication, kigo, and imagery discussed in the lesson.
• Refer back to the Kigo threaded discussion group if you need help with  ideas.
• You may include any secondary elements you wish, but they are not required for this assignment.
• Use the Teacher Email link above to send me your poems.
• Be sure to send your revisions (if any) along with your haiku.

All haiku will be posted to the student site by December 15th.  Read each others' haiku and be prepared to discuss good points and areas of improvement in a group chat session on December 18th. Use the checklist and the skills you developed in reviewing the haiku of the great haiku poets. To help you prepare for the chat session you will be assigned email groups to work with each other to develop comments.