Haiku. Haiku is a short, unrhymed poem of seventeen syllables divided into three lines of five syllables, seven syllables, and five again (although in translation, this scheme is often varied). Haiku presents one or more images—words that describe things that can be seen, touched, tasted, heard, or smelled—in an attempt to capture a passing moment of reflection. As you read the poem, identify the images presented in the poem.
Sensory Details. Sensory details are words and phrases that describe how things look, sound, smell, taste, or feel. Because haiku is centered on images, sensory details are prevalent in this form of poetry.
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In 1694, Basho– wrote The Narrow Road to the Deep North, a book describing one of the many journeys that he took during his lifetime. During these journeys, he stayed with other poets or at Buddhist temples. The book has become one of the great classics of the world’s literature, not only for the beauty of its prose descriptions, but also for the incidental poetry that it contains. The selections that follow are examples of haiku from The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
Use a graphic organizer like the one below to help you thoroughly describe the images presented in the poems.
Spend some time observing nature. If you can, go outside; otherwise observe nature from a window. What things do you see? What catches your eye the most? In what ways can Nature reflect truths about us and about humanity?
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