Can you haiku?
Level: upper intermediate to advance It can be done with small or large groups, in a creative writing class, book club, or Literature course. Time: 120 minutes Language aims: show students how to write a haiku, the length of the poem, the structures to use and the topics that are usually involved. Educational aims: by studying poetry, we can promote literacy, build community, and foster emotional resilience. Procedure: I start this class with a 'haiku hangman', as the image shows (10 minutes):
Even if the students do not know what a haiku is, I do not explain it at this point. I simply read a definition of poetry from poetry.org:
Poetry (ancient Greek: ποιεω (poieo) = I create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. It consists largely of oral or literary works in which language is used in a manner that is felt by its user and audience to differ from ordinary prose. And I ask them the following questions to be discussed as a group (15 minutes): - Do you like poetry? If you, which poets do you read, and why? - Have you ever written poetry? If so, do you show it to other people? Why? / Why not? - Have you ever read or written a haiku? - When and where did the haiku originate? - Are there any rules for writing haikus? I do not give them the answer for the last two questions at this point of the class and just tell them that a haiku is a kind of poem. After this first discussion, I present some haikus and we read them together. All the haikus were written by myself. I hate my alarm It always wakes me early When dreams are still there. Today beauty fades Leaving only dead flowers Withering away. Clouds dance in the sky, Pure white cotton on blue heights, Unveiling sunrise. I love my kitten She's always in the kitchen Purring all around. After reading them as simple poems, I ask them to focus on the middle line of each haiku, and count the syllables. I repeat the same procedure for the first and third lines, and ask then to complete this chart - Tips for writing haikus (20 minutes): - The haiku has a total of ______ lines. - Line one and three should have _______ syllables. - Line two should have _______ syllables. - The haiku should be written in the _______ tense. - Use _______ images that show harmony or contrast. - Write about experiencing life through your five ________. Answers: three / five / seven / present / two / senses Then I get them to read a brief history of haiku (5 minutes): Haiku is distinguished by its compression and suggestiveness. It consists of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. Traditionally and ideally, a haiku presents a pair of contrasting images, one suggestive of time and place, the other a vivid but fleeting observation. Working together, they evoke mood and emotion. The poet does not comment on the connection but leaves the synthesis of the two images for the reader to perceive. The haiku below by the poet Basho, considered to have written the most perfect examples of the form, illustrates this duality: Now the swinging bridge Is quieted with creepers … Like our tendrilled life Basho, like Sen-no-Rikyu, perfecter of the tea ceremony, aimed to achieve the aesthetic qualities of wabi and sabi in his haiku, a sense of quiet sadness in the mujo (transience) of life, an achieved oneness with nature expressed in suggestive, seasoned and refined simplicity, a rejection of gaudiness and a freedom from worldly human concerns. Although a traditional haiku concentrates on nature and the seasons, modern, western haiku can be on any subject. In order to practice the rules of writing haikus, we first watch this video together (8 minutes): Then we analyse and identify the problems with these haikus (15 minutes): The smell of burnt toast Wakes me up in the morning For breakfast (Problem: line 3 does not have enough syllables) I make the dinner Every evening after I come back home from work For my family (Problem: line 2 has too many syllables) I went to the fridge But it was empty and cold So I ate pizza (Problem: haikus are not written in the Past Simple) This delicious soup The work of many long hours Steaming in the bowl Ready for our tea (Problem: there are too many lines). The next step is to have them write their first haiku. To do so, I show them this painting and the word 'love': I ask them to discuss with a partner and write down any images that they see or which they feel when looking at it. Then they write their haiku alone (if any help is needed, there is no problem in giving them a word, or even a line), and before sharing I play another video on revising a haiku (from 20 to 30 minutes + video: 8 minutes): If necessary, they revise their first haiku, and share it with the group (10 minutes): After writing this first haiku (and a week of writing a haiku a day), my students reported the following benefits: - Vocabulary improvement - Better intonation, pronunciation of words in general - Thinking directly in English, without any kind of translation - Close observation - Clear thinking - Limiting themselves to the essential. First Project: A haiku a day, based on their observations of that day, using the five senses Participants: Malu Sciamarelli, Ana Paffaro, Aline Ramos (Writing Group - 'Creative Writers Society') Day 1 (in class) Malu: sweet, soft fragrances brought by the breeze at dawn - you breathing by my side... Ana: When I see flowers and I feel their smell too - I can remember you. Aline: Different flowers grow in the same garden. Love may be there - no differences. Day 2: Malu: Supermoon tonight, Come and realize my dream - Take me far from here... Ana: On a sunny day Looking through nature and sky Waiting for moonlight Aline: Smell of grilling meat Announces: barbecue day. Family, sun, fun. Day 3: Malu: Traffic and chaos Around - everywhere I look... Will I move away? Ana: Through the windows come Sunlight, wind, breeze, smell and dust. Sound's untouchable Aline: Moonlight seems to be smiling at me. Five o'clock, day to work, stay strong. Day 4: Malu: Sunshine, happiness, fun, laughter and much learning - Let the classes start! Ana: Acting like no one. Comedy, action, thriller. Drama becomes true. Aline: Horns, lights, smoke on me... Remembering: it's your choice Don't give up - relax. Day 5: Malu: My alarm clock rings - Am I dreaming or awake? It's one of those days... Ana: Sky could be opened Suddenly, it changes much - Darkness and sadness Aline: Nor a sudden death Can destroy sweet memories And father's true love Day 6: Malu: Cold, windy and dark. This is my day and my night - Lonely as can be... Ana: There is no color, Seems like rain is coming down. Only illusion. Aline: The wind freezes me Remembering it's better When I'm in your arms Day 7: Malu: The sun is shining, Birds are singing happily - They know it's Friday! Ana: Maybe one light's on. But it could also be off. The room is so dark. Aline: It's after seven I can see the building's lights. One reason: money. Second project: Collaborative haiku and picture postcard - to be done. Source: http://collaborativepostcardinghongkong.blogspot.com.br/2014/02/betweencollaborative-haiku-and-picture.html?m=1p Some other examples – first haiku written by a group of teenagers: Writing Group – 'Creative Fiction Writers' Julia Abend: The flowers are so Beautiful! So much peace and Love - togetherness. Gabriel Giro: The flowers are so Graceful, they make me feel so Relaxed and in peace. Matheus Durante: Peace and calmness, so Beautiful and colourful, Just like a rainbow. Pedro Giraldi: White flowers are so Graceful and with those green leaves - Peace all around us. Nicole Navarro: Spring is so peaceful In Japan or anywhere... Nature - always there.
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