1. Haiku

2. Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry.

3. The very first books ever written in Japanese were collections of legends and poems.
The most famous kind of Japanese poem is the haiku, a very short poem with only three lines.

4. The most famous haiku poet was Basho (1644-1694).
This is an English translation of his best known poem:
The old pond
A frog jumps in
Sound of water

5. Haiku poems consist of 3 lines…
The first and last lines of a Haiku have 5 syllables and the middle line has 7 syllables.

6. Here’s a Haiku to help you remember…
I am first with five
Then seven in the middle--
Five again to end.

7. Remember…
A syllable is a part of a word pronounced as a unit. It is usually made up of a vowel alone or a vowel with one or more consonants.
The word “syllable” has 3 syllables: syl–la-ble

8. 3 syllables: po-e-try How many syllables are in the word poetry?
How many syllables are in the word haiku?
2 syllables: hai-ku

9. Since the Haiku poet only has 3 lines to work with, Haiku poems are usually written about one simple thing.

10. An animal, a season of the year, a raindrop or a snowflake are all examples of things you might write a Haiku about.

11. Haiku poems can almost act like a riddle.
Try writing a Haiku poem about a certain animal, but don’t mention the animals name.
See if your friends can guess what you wrote about.

12. Here is an example… Green and speckled legs, Hop on logs and lily pads
Splash in cool water.

13. What animal do you think this Haiku is describing?

14. Before you write your own haiku…
What types of things are haiku poems usually written about?
Things found in nature.

15. How many lines does a haiku poem have?
How many syllables in each line?
First line: 5
Second line: 7
Third line: 5

16. Now it’s your turn…
Write your own “What am I?” Haiku