1 Haiku poems are short. They are also fun to write. But writing a good ...
Haiku poems are sh o r t . T h ey a r e a l s o f u n t o w r i t e . But writing a good hai ku i s no t a s e a sy a s i t l o o k s . I t t ake s p ractice. Her e ar e so me ti p s: 1. The f orm o f a h ai ku i s ver y si mp l e: - th r ee l i nes - f ive syll ab l es i n th e fi r st l i ne - s even sy l l ab l es i n th e seco nd l i ne - f ive sy l l ab l es i n th e th i r d l i ne 2. Haiku poem s a r e o b s e r vat i o n s o f nat u r e . Each one is about a s p e c i f i c s e a s o n , a nd i nc l u d e s at leas t one s eas on wo r d . T h i s can b e th e name o f th e s eas o n, l i ke “ wi nter ” . Winter must b e h er e. Ever y ti me I o p en my mouth, a cl o ud co mes o ut. It can also be some o t h e r wo r d t h at t e l l s t h e r e a d e r what s e aso n i t i s, l i ke “ l eaf” . From und er neath th e leaf p i l e, my i nv i si b l e bro th er i s g i g g l i ng . For more fun with guyku, visit http://www.guykuhaiku.com and check out the
book Guyku, written by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. “How to Write a Haiku” instructions written by Bob Raczka. Copyright © 2010 FableVision Learning and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Illustrations copyright © 2010 by Peter H. Reynolds (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Permission granted to reproduce for educational purposes only.
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3. A good haiku is no t just an o b ser vati o n o f natur e. It als o ex p resses a mo o d o r an emo ti o n. Hey, wh o tur ned o ff al l the crickets? I ’ m no t r ead y f or sum mer to end . 4. To help express t h i s mo o d o r e mo t i o n , ma ny h a i ku includ e a co mp ar i so n. It’ s si l ent und er thes e p ine b o ug h s sag g i ng wi th snow, li ke h i b e r nat i ng . 5. We experience nat u r e w i t h a l l o f o u r s e n s e s . So don’t just write ab o u t w h at yo u s e e . Wr i t e ab o u t what you hear, s mell , taste and to uch . I n th i s h ai ku, I us ed my sense o f h ear i ng . Skip , s ki p , ski p , ski p , p l unk! Five ri p p l e r i ng s i n a r ow– my b est th r ow ever ! In this one, I used my sense o f to uch . I f r ee g r assh o p p er f rom his ti g h t, ten-fi ng er ed cag e– he ti ckl es to o much ! 6. Try to write ab o u t a n ex p e r i e nc e eve r yo ne has had, like fly i ng a ki t e . B u t d e s c r i b e i t i n a new way, l i ke p l ay i ng tug -o f-war. The wi nd and I p l ay tug-of -war wi th my new ki te. The wi nd i s wi nni ng . 2
7. Also, try using perso ni f i c at i o n . T h i s me a n s t o t a l k ab o u t something that is n’t a p e r so n, l i ke a tr ee, as i f i t was a p er so n . Pine tr ee i nv i tes me to climb h i m up to th e sky. How can I r efuse? In this haiku, I p er so ni fy a p ud d l e. If t h i s p ud d l e co ul d talk, I th i nk i t wo ul d tel l me to sp l ash my si ster. 8 . Many haiku are s er i o us. B ut th ey can al so b e funny. Mo sq ui to l and s o n my che ek. I tr y to sl ap h er, bu t I just sl ap me. 9. Haiku are always w r i t t e n i n t h e p r e s e nt t e n s e . In other word s , w h at eve r yo u w r i t e ab o u t , it’ s h ap p eni ng now. I watch th e wo r m s sq ui r m and de ci d e to b ai t my h o o k with h o t d o g i nstead . 10. Finally, the b e s t way t o g e t i d e a s f o r h a i ku i s to go outside and play. T h e mo r e yo u ex p e r i e nc e nat u r e , the more yo u’ l l h ave to wr i te ab o ut!
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book Guyku, written by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. “How to Write a Haiku” instructions written by Bob Raczka. Copyright © 2010 FableVision Learning and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Illustrations copyright © 2010 by Peter H. Reynolds (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Permission granted to reproduce for educational purposes only.
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3. A good haiku is no t just an o b ser vati o n o f natur e. It als o ex p resses a mo o d o r an emo ti o n. Hey, wh o tur ned o ff al l the crickets? I ’ m no t r ead y f or sum mer to end . 4. To help express t h i s mo o d o r e mo t i o n , ma ny h a i ku includ e a co mp ar i so n. It’ s si l ent und er thes e p ine b o ug h s sag g i ng wi th snow, li ke h i b e r nat i ng . 5. We experience nat u r e w i t h a l l o f o u r s e n s e s . So don’t just write ab o u t w h at yo u s e e . Wr i t e ab o u t what you hear, s mell , taste and to uch . I n th i s h ai ku, I us ed my sense o f h ear i ng . Skip , s ki p , ski p , ski p , p l unk! Five ri p p l e r i ng s i n a r ow– my b est th r ow ever ! In this one, I used my sense o f to uch . I f r ee g r assh o p p er f rom his ti g h t, ten-fi ng er ed cag e– he ti ckl es to o much ! 6. Try to write ab o u t a n ex p e r i e nc e eve r yo ne has had, like fly i ng a ki t e . B u t d e s c r i b e i t i n a new way, l i ke p l ay i ng tug -o f-war. The wi nd and I p l ay tug-of -war wi th my new ki te. The wi nd i s wi nni ng . 2
7. Also, try using perso ni f i c at i o n . T h i s me a n s t o t a l k ab o u t something that is n’t a p e r so n, l i ke a tr ee, as i f i t was a p er so n . Pine tr ee i nv i tes me to climb h i m up to th e sky. How can I r efuse? In this haiku, I p er so ni fy a p ud d l e. If t h i s p ud d l e co ul d talk, I th i nk i t wo ul d tel l me to sp l ash my si ster. 8 . Many haiku are s er i o us. B ut th ey can al so b e funny. Mo sq ui to l and s o n my che ek. I tr y to sl ap h er, bu t I just sl ap me. 9. Haiku are always w r i t t e n i n t h e p r e s e nt t e n s e . In other word s , w h at eve r yo u w r i t e ab o u t , it’ s h ap p eni ng now. I watch th e wo r m s sq ui r m and de ci d e to b ai t my h o o k with h o t d o g i nstead . 10. Finally, the b e s t way t o g e t i d e a s f o r h a i ku i s to go outside and play. T h e mo r e yo u ex p e r i e nc e nat u r e , the more yo u’ l l h ave to wr i te ab o ut!
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