Prickly, prickly pine
The breeze it softly whistles
Summer brought to life
I found this beautiful pine tree **somewhere in Atlanta**. Of all the flora I’d passed by, it was the most verdant of all, and inspired this haiku. There’s something about a tree or flower in full bloom, just stunning.
Today’s post will be about haiku, because, as the title states, it rules!
What is haiku, one might ask? Haiku is a traditional Japanese form of poetry. It is a short poem generally containing only seventeen syllables in three lines. Five syllables are in the first line, with seven in the second, and five in the third. Haiku poetry doesn’t usually rhyme.
Below are a few simple rules to follow when writing haiku:
1. Choose a universal topic. Many poems celebrate nature, but contemporary haiku can be about anything. Topics include nature, emotions, relationships, and urban living. If you’d like to write about the natural world, a ginko walk--a walk in a natural setting to find inspiration—could be helpful.
2. Use imagery and descriptive words. Let your words vividly describe your topic. Add color to your poem with strong images that appeal to the senses.
3. If nature is your topic, use a season word. Called kigo, this word is a reference to the season described in the poem. A few examples include “frozen”, “falling leaves”, and “harvest”.
Here is an example of a haiku by Bashō, the most famous haiku poet. The syllabic structure is lost in the Japanese to English translation (the Japanese version of syllables is called on), but this poem includes the universal topic of nature, imagery, and a season word.
The first soft snow!
Enough to bend the leaves
Of the jonquil low.
What would your haiku poem be?
This post is a simplified version of a multifaceted art form. For more seeds of knowledge, visit the sites below. They were also sources for this post:
http://www.toyomasu.com/haiku/
http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/rules-for-writing-haiku.html
http://www.creative-writing-now.com/how-to-write-a-haiku.html
The breeze it softly whistles
Summer brought to life
I found this beautiful pine tree **somewhere in Atlanta**. Of all the flora I’d passed by, it was the most verdant of all, and inspired this haiku. There’s something about a tree or flower in full bloom, just stunning.
Today’s post will be about haiku, because, as the title states, it rules!
What is haiku, one might ask? Haiku is a traditional Japanese form of poetry. It is a short poem generally containing only seventeen syllables in three lines. Five syllables are in the first line, with seven in the second, and five in the third. Haiku poetry doesn’t usually rhyme.
Below are a few simple rules to follow when writing haiku:
1. Choose a universal topic. Many poems celebrate nature, but contemporary haiku can be about anything. Topics include nature, emotions, relationships, and urban living. If you’d like to write about the natural world, a ginko walk--a walk in a natural setting to find inspiration—could be helpful.
2. Use imagery and descriptive words. Let your words vividly describe your topic. Add color to your poem with strong images that appeal to the senses.
3. If nature is your topic, use a season word. Called kigo, this word is a reference to the season described in the poem. A few examples include “frozen”, “falling leaves”, and “harvest”.
Here is an example of a haiku by Bashō, the most famous haiku poet. The syllabic structure is lost in the Japanese to English translation (the Japanese version of syllables is called on), but this poem includes the universal topic of nature, imagery, and a season word.
The first soft snow!
Enough to bend the leaves
Of the jonquil low.
What would your haiku poem be?
This post is a simplified version of a multifaceted art form. For more seeds of knowledge, visit the sites below. They were also sources for this post:
http://www.toyomasu.com/haiku/
http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/rules-for-writing-haiku.html
http://www.creative-writing-now.com/how-to-write-a-haiku.html
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