1. Creative Writing
Aiden Yeh, PhD
Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages
Image: http://tfpmi.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/haiku-title-vertical-blog.jpg
2. What is a Haiku?
• Haiku is a form of poetry, first made
popular in Japan, which has become
appreciated around the world. Haiku poets
are challenged to convey a vivid message
in only 17 syllables.
Source: http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/pdf/dec05_unit/whatishaiku.pdf
3. • One of the greatest Haiku poets was the
Samurai, Basho (1644-94). Basho's father was
also a Samurai from the Iga province. To
become a Samurai, Basho served a local lord
who was fond of writing. Basho learned the style
of writing Haiku, and wrote under the name,
Sobo. During the years, Basho traveled
throughout Japan writing and further developing
the Haiku style. He died in Osaka, Japan in
1694, and continued to write haiku up until his
death
Source: http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/pdf/dec05_unit/whatishaiku.pdf
4. A sample of Basho's haiku style:
Spring morning marvel
lovely nameless little hill
on a sea of mist
Source: http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/pdf/dec05_unit/whatishaiku.pdf
Image: http://www.simpleton.com/img2/verse/bashofrog.jpg
5. • In Japan these poems are valued for their
simplicity, openness, depth and lightness.
Source: http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/pdf/dec05_unit/whatishaiku.pdf
Image: http://poesiadelaexperiencia.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/haiku-yukki-yaura.jpg
6. Structural Rules
• Use exactly 17 syllables
• Syllables are arranged in three lines of 5-7-5
• Avoid similes and metaphors
• Refers to a season of the year
Source: http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/pdf/dec05_unit/whatishaiku.pdf
7. • They're written in the present tense, in
ordinary language, and work well as two
different images that spark off each other.
• It's good to include one or more senses
such as sound, smell, taste or touch, and
not just what we can see.
8. Seasonal Theme
• Each Haiku must contain a kigo, a season
word, which indicates what season of the
year the Haiku is set. For example,
blossoms would indicate spring, snow
would give the idea of winter, mosquitos
would imply summertime. The seasonal
words isn't always that obvious, you might
needs to consider the theme of the poem
to find it.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonplans/pdf/dec05_unit/whatishaiku.pdf
10. Critiquing Haikus
1. What feelings did you have from the poem?
2. Which of your five senses did the poem appeal
to the most?
3. What mood was the author trying to convey?
4. What was the dominant impression, or idea?
5. What was the kigo, seasonal word? Some are
harder than others to find.
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/what-haiku
11. • They can be therapeutic and they exercise
both the right and the left side of the brain.
12. Natsume Soseki
• Natsume Soseki lived from 1867 - 1916.
He was a novelist and master of the haiku.
Here are a couple of examples of his
poems:
Over the wintry
forest, winds howl in rage
with no leaves to blow.
http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-haiku-poems.html
18. In-class Task
• Using photo prompts, write at least 2
Haiku poems (the more you can produce,
the better)
• Publish your haiku on your blog
• Use your smartphone to take original
photos
• For online source, you need to provide a
link to the site where you got the pictures
from.
19. But not this
Photo source: http://www.dailyvowelmovements.com/2012/07/a-haiku-about-
getting-out-of-bed.html
22. Curbside Haiku in NY
http://www.artsology.com/blog/2012/06/curbside-haiku-signs/
23. I think of Haiku
every single day. Oh, but
to write it, I can’t.
Aiden Yeh
3/31/2013
2:30 pm
Image source: http://rockandrollyogi.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/haiku.jpg
24. Faux Spring
Aiden Yeh
Spring flowers just bloomed.
But now covered in white frost.
April Fool’s delight.
Image source: http://wodumedia.com/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2012/runner-up-ever-since-daniel-eggert-first-fell-in-
love-with-pasque-flowers-among-the-first-flowers-of-spring-he-had-wanted-to-photograph-them-covered-in-hoar-frost-now-
it-was-pasque-flower-time-onc/
