Haiku Poetry Presented by Ms. Wheeler

History of Haiku Originated in 16th and 17th Century Japan Masaoka Shiki modernized the form in the 19th Century Criticshave sometimes devalued it because of its brevity

Characteristics of the Genre Haiku poems are Japanese and contain only 3 lines. The poems are used to paint a picture in the reader’s mind. Each line has a certain number of syllables.

Key Terms “kigo”: seasonal word that grounds the poem in particular time of year “kireji”: cutting word that acts as a caesura (cut that pauses or stops the rhythm of the poem)

Structure The first line of every haiku has 5 syllables The second contains 7 syllables. The final line contains 5 syllables. Haikus are usually about nature.

Structure: An Example 5 7 5 The leaves fell slowly To the unforgiving ground To the un-for-giv-ing ground Too soon – summer’s gone! Too soon – sum-mer’s gone! 5 7 5

Snow melts. Suddenly, the village is full of children.

Green and speckled legs Hops on logs and lily-pads Splash in cool water

In a pouch I grow On a southern continent Strange creatures I know.

Works Cited Kohl, Stephen. "Haiku." Encyclopedia of Modern Asia. Ed. Karen Christensen and David Levinson. Vol. 2. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2002. 474. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.