Haiku Handout

1. What is a haiku?
   Haiku is a very old form of poetry from Japan. It consists of three unrhymed lines. Traditionally, the first and last lines have five syllables each, and the middle line has seven syllables. Notice how many syllables are in each line of this haiku by the 17th-century Japanese poet Basho. (Often when haiku is translated, however, the number of syllables is changed.)

   
   	from all directions
   	winds bring petals of cherry
   	into the bird lake
   	—Basho
   	

   Having few words and pausing at the end of each short line gives a special feeling to haiku. Even a simple statement sounds thoughtful—as though it has a deeper meaning.

2. How do you write a haiku?
   • Make sure your first line has five syllables, your second line has seven syllables and your final line has five syllables in it.
   • Check out the examples below. These are dialogue taken from Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, and written as if they were haiku. Count the number of syllables in each line.

   Behold the Wisdom of Hogwarts
   I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed — or worse, expelled. —Hermione Granger	I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory even stopper death —Professor Snape
   Flint with the Quaffle — passes Spinnet — passes Bell — hit hard in the face —Lee Jordan, at Quidditch	how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching? —Ron Weasley
   I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie? —Peeves the Ghost	Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog —Harry Potter

3. Here is an example of a haiku written by a student:
   Harry soars past us
   a song in his heart, the Snitch
   in his sweaty palms
   —Mirror Girl, 12

4. Now you try it!

Line # 1 (five syllables):

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Line # 2 (seven syllables):

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Line # 3 (five syllables):

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