1. Haiku Poetry Presented by Ms. Wheeler

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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)

5. 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.

6. 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!

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

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

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

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