HAIKU

Haiku is a Japanese poetry which consist of 3 sentences.

You can compose your own Haiku by following 2 rules.
1. 5-7-5 Syllable pattern.The first sentence consists of 5 syllables.The second sentence consists of 7 syllables.The third sentence consists of 5 syllables.

Difference culture has difference system of counting syllable. As Haiku originated in Japan, the syllable is counted base on Japanese words. For example, TAMAGO would be 3 syllables which are TA, MA, and GO. However, since this class is especially for foreign students, we are allowed to write Haiku in English. Therefore, STRIKE is counted as 1 syllable instead of 2.

2. You must include a seasonal word in 1 of 3 sentences. It is up to you to put it in which sentence. A seasonal word is a word that has a meaning of a particular season. For example snow, water, rain, frog, etc. There are a book of registered seasonal words that can be used in writing Haiku.

Haiku does not need a title.This is an example of Japanese Haiku (Bashoo):

Furu ike ya kawazu to bi ko mu mizu no o to

Its English translation:


An old pond;

A frog leaps in ...

Water plops.


Its 1st sentence is Furu ike ya

Its 2nd sentence is kawazu to bi ko mu

Its 3rd sentence is mizu no o to


In the trial session, We are divided in several groups. Each group consists of 3 persons. Each person composes 1 sentence, but he/she is prohibited to show his/her sentence to other member, as a result, after combining our sentence, we find that our Haiku is not connected and this is a part of Haiku, fun. Another aspect of Haiku is by combining 3 sentences you can create big world, your own world, and every body has their own interpretation after reading the same Haiku, your Haiku.

After that, every student is asked to compose a complete Haiku alone.

This is our Haiku (as a group):

Snowman stands alone.

Many boys are playing outside.

We'll stay together.


This is another Haiku from another group which all of the member are British (this is very beautiful):

Your snow of winter.

A down pour was torrential.

Dreams at night bizarre.


And this is my own Haiku:

The sun rises fast.

Rainy day is very warm.

The heaven's show-off.


You probably ask, what is the meaning of those Haiku.

Well,.... Miyasaki Sensei said that everybody is free to interprete those Haiku.

That's why you can have your own interpretations.


Try Haiku.....