Haiku to You
And Other Types of Poetry
It's easy to love haikus. It doesn't take too much time, you can think of a lot in a little bit of time, and it's a small challenge. Haikus are short poems that consist of just 3 lines. The trick: you have to follow a 5-7-5 syllable rule. I believe that I always loved haikus because it brought math into writing. I've always been more of a math person than writing person (until I went to grad school for Reading). It's always a challenge to come up with just the right amount of syllables to fit the expectations of a haiku. Haikus stick with you. That's always a go to poem for most people because I think that was the one time we had a creative outlet when completing poetry in schools. Other poems usually had to follow some theme or topic. Haikus, it was just a challenge to see if you could come up with a short three line poem and follow the syllable rule. If we allow other types of poetry into the classroom with this kind of mindset, I believe poetry will be more well liked. Having a minor rule or expectation to follow and then being able to roam free with whatever words you choose.
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Haiku Hike/Wonder Walk
Nature inspires us all the time. There are so many things that are out there that allow us to be creative. Simply going on a walk can do wonders for our minds. Here is an invitation for students to go out and explore their community:
You are invited to go on a wonder walk. As you embark on your nature walk, pay attention to your surroundings and look for your haiku moment: a moment that you feel compelled to write about in the form of haiku! This is a small moment in time…it is not the walk itself, but it is a moment that occurs during the walk. For example, it might be a bird landing in a tree, or the sun hiding behind a cloud, or the swing powered by the wind with no one swinging, or an insect that makes a sudden move, or a leaf that floats down the stream or gets stuck…in other words, it is something “small and specific” that moves you to write as you capture the experience in a fresh and memorable way.
As you are walking, take notes that capture the small moments…engage all of your senses and focus on the beauty of your surroundings. When you find your “haiku moment,” take notes that will inform your writing. Consider: the what, the where, and the when. As you consider the “what,” think about something else that this “thing” reminds you of…consider and notice the “mysterious” in the everyday and ordinary things that occur in nature and HAVE FUN!
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This invitation is great way to inspire hesitant writers to come out of their shell and write something spectacular. Getting started is always the hardest part. Whether it's going through a nature walk to find inspiration or going through your pictures, you can find a topic to write about just through observations.
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Photokus are another great way to inspire writing. Either taking a picture as you're observing things OR finding a picture in your camera roll, there's endless topics that you can write about. I feel like through my own experience, Photoku was something that was new and exciting for me. I always love looking through old photos and being inspired by different memories. Haikus are usually presented in a present tense fashion, therefore through Photokus you can relive an old memory through the words you choose.
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Below I have both my Photoku and haiku that I have created through the world around me.
Home away from home
Small, cozy, many memories
You are my safe place
Clouds look like bubbles
Filling up the Boone skyline
Making everyone's day
Social distancing
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Not sure what to do or say
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I want health for all
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Haikus are a great way for writers to begin their poetry journey. It's scary trying to pick words that reflect your emotions, observations, and explorations sometimes. Haikus give you a restriction of words, yet gives you the ability to be creative in the words that you do decide to use.
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Another thing about poetry is that writers always think there needs to be a rhyme. Haikus break that stereotype. There's no need to rhyme and you are picking words that fit the requirements of a haiku structure.
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For readers who are struggling to understand and begin poetry, Love That Dog by Sharon Creech is a great book to share. It tells the story of Jack, a young boy, who is struggling to get into poetry. Throughout the free verse styled book, Jack is telling his story and feelings. He is at first confused by what poetry is and is not sure if he is able to do it correctly because he is a boy. The first page of the book says:
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I don't want to
because boys
don't write poetry.
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Girls do.
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As Jack continues his writing journey, he becomes more comfortable with publishing his work on the classroom's board. He even invites a special guest to continue his growth of writing. For any student who is struggling to understand free verse poetry OR struggling to get into writing because of stereotypes of previous expectations, Love That Dog is a quick and easy book to read with students.
