Haiku PoetryHaiku Poetry

A Famous PoetA Famous Poet

Issa Kobayashi was born in Issa Kobayashi was born in Japan in 1763, more than Japan in 1763, more than two hundred years ago. two hundred years ago.

by Shumpo Muramatsu

Issa had a poet’s eyes. Issa had a poet’s eyes. He noticed things He noticed things many people would many people would not. He took the time not. He took the time to look, to listen, and to to look, to listen, and to enjoy the movements enjoy the movements of the many small of the many small creatures who shared creatures who shared his world, like his world, like sparrows, crickets, and sparrows, crickets, and frogs. frogs.

Issa had a Issa had a compassionate feeling compassionate feeling for all creatures, for all creatures, including fleas and including fleas and flies. He felt even flies. He felt even common houseflies common houseflies have a right to live, have a right to live, and would not swat and would not swat them.them.

In many ways, Issa’s life was a sad one. In many ways, Issa’s life was a sad one. His mother died before he was two, and his His mother died before he was two, and his own four sons and a daughter all died own four sons and a daughter all died before they were a year old, before they were a year old,

a great sorrow to a man who loved children a great sorrow to a man who loved children as much as Issa did.as much as Issa did.

Issa was a poor man and Issa was a poor man and spent much of his life in spent much of his life in solitary wandering. solitary wandering. Perhaps it was the Perhaps it was the loneliness of these years loneliness of these years that made him value all the that made him value all the animals, birds, and insects animals, birds, and insects who shared his house and who shared his house and garden and kept him garden and kept him company in his travels company in his travels about the countryside.about the countryside. Issa’s House

At the age of 25, Issa began to write haiku At the age of 25, Issa began to write haiku poems. Many of his poems are about the poems. Many of his poems are about the humble creatures he loved. humble creatures he loved.

Here is one of Issa’s haiku poems.Here is one of Issa’s haiku poems.

A few flies and IA few flies and I

Keep house togetherKeep house together

In this humble home.In this humble home.

This is the way one of This is the way one of Issa’s poems looked Issa’s poems looked when he wrote them.when he wrote them.

Some of Issa’s poems contain a beautiful Some of Issa’s poems contain a beautiful image. image.

Some are funny. Some are funny. Some make you think.Some make you think.

Swatted outSwatted out

From everywhere else,From everywhere else,

The mosquitoes come here.The mosquitoes come here.

A measuring worm takes the lengthA measuring worm takes the lengthof the wooden supportof the wooden support

that holds up my house.that holds up my house.

The frog looks as if he had justThe frog looks as if he had justbelched a cloudbelched a cloud

into the sky.into the sky.

My hut is so small,My hut is so small,but please do practice your jumping,but please do practice your jumping,

fleas of mine!fleas of mine!

If you are tender to them,If you are tender to them,the young sparrowsthe young sparrows

will poop on you.will poop on you.

The mosquitoes!The mosquitoes!They have come for their lunch to the manThey have come for their lunch to the man

having a nap.having a nap.

I asked him how old he was,I asked him how old he was,and the boy dressed up in a new kimonoand the boy dressed up in a new kimono

stretched forth all five fingers.stretched forth all five fingers.

Haiku Haiku was created centuries ago.was created centuries ago.

It was treasured for its pure form and exquisite It was treasured for its pure form and exquisite content.content.

Western culture has grown to love and Western culture has grown to love and respect this special type of poetry.respect this special type of poetry.

Writing your own haiku is easy. Writing your own haiku is easy. Follow these seven easy steps.Follow these seven easy steps.

Step 1: FormStep 1: Form

Your Haiku should have three lines with or without a Your Haiku should have three lines with or without a seventeen-syllable count. It should be one breath seventeen-syllable count. It should be one breath long.long.

old pond-old pond-frog jumps infrog jumps insound of watersound of water- Matsuo Basho- Matsuo Basho (Japanese poet, 1644-1694) (Japanese poet, 1644-1694)

Step 2:ImageStep 2:Image

Your Your HaikuHaiku should have a descriptive should have a descriptive image. For example, not a “flower,” but image. For example, not a “flower,” but instead a “purple iris in the sun”.instead a “purple iris in the sun”.

evening breeze-evening breeze-water splashes againstwater splashes againsta blue heron’s legsa blue heron’s legs- Yosa Buson- Yosa Buson (Japanese poet, 1716-1783) (Japanese poet, 1716-1783)

Step 3: Kigo (a season word)Step 3: Kigo (a season word)

Your Your HaikuHaiku should refer to nature and hint at the should refer to nature and hint at the season or weather.season or weather.

off they leapoff they leapgrasshopper mother and childgrasshopper mother and childand turn to grassand turn to grass

- Katsushi Hosokawa- Katsushi Hosokawa

(Japenese poet, age 10)(Japenese poet, age 10)

Step 4: Here and NowStep 4: Here and Now

Basho said,Basho said,

““Haiku is simply what is happening in this Haiku is simply what is happening in this place, at this moment.”place, at this moment.”

You should write from real experience, not You should write from real experience, not imagination; record the present moment.imagination; record the present moment.

for a second a butterflyfor a second a butterflysettles on my cheeksettles on my cheekI must not breatheI must not breathe

- Myriam Suchet- Myriam Suchet (French poet, age 15) (French poet, age 15)

Step 5: FeelingStep 5: Feeling

Your Your HaikuHaiku should not explain or tell, but should not explain or tell, but instead show the feeling through your instead show the feeling through your image.image.

along with spring leavesalong with spring leavesmy child’s teethmy child’s teethare coming inare coming in- Nakamura Kusatao- Nakamura Kusatao (Japanese poet, 1901-1983) (Japanese poet, 1901-1983)

Step 6: Surprise!Step 6: Surprise!

Your Your HaikuHaiku should have an “ah!” moment should have an “ah!” moment that wakes us up.that wakes us up.

in a mouse’s nestin a mouse’s nestsomeone’s love lettersomeone’s love letterwas foundwas found- Unknown Japanese Poet- Unknown Japanese Poet

Step 7: CompassionStep 7: Compassion

Your Your HaikuHaiku should express should express openheartedness toward nature.openheartedness toward nature.

Don’t hit the fly-Don’t hit the fly-He prays with his handsHe prays with his handsAnd his feetAnd his feet- Kobayashi Issa- Kobayashi Issa (Japanese poet, 1763-1827) (Japanese poet, 1763-1827)

Let’s Review!Let’s Review!

Haiku FormHaiku Form

Three linesThree lines Syllable pattern of 5,7,5Syllable pattern of 5,7,5 Usually doesn’t rhymeUsually doesn’t rhyme Usually about natureUsually about nature Often includes a reference to a seasonOften includes a reference to a season Often a single sentence, but may be Often a single sentence, but may be

sentence fragmentssentence fragments

Now try writing your own!Now try writing your own!

BibliographyBibliography Haiku: the Poetic MomentHaiku: the Poetic Moment

http://http://norazpoets.org/index.php?modulenorazpoets.org/index.php?module==pagemaster&PAGE_user_oppagemaster&PAGE_user_op==viewPAGE_idviewPAGE_id=93=93

Issa’s Haiku Home PageIssa’s Haiku Home Page www.threeweb.ad.jp/logos/ainet/issa.htmlwww.threeweb.ad.jp/logos/ainet/issa.html HaikuHaiku www.1lo.sanok.pl/~iz/haiku/Issa.htmwww.1lo.sanok.pl/~iz/haiku/Issa.htm National Clearinghouse for U.S. –Japan Studies. National Clearinghouse for U.S. –Japan Studies.

http://www.indiana.edu/~japan/LP/LS3.htmlhttp://www.indiana.edu/~japan/LP/LS3.html Steve Shaluta PhotographySteve Shaluta Photography http://www.steveshaluta.com/insects/inchworm-01.htmhttp://www.steveshaluta.com/insects/inchworm-01.htm Kotobuki Wedding AttireKotobuki Wedding Attire http://http://www.kimonowedding.com/gallery_children.htmwww.kimonowedding.com/gallery_children.htm