Showing posts with label haiku. Show all posts
Showing posts with label haiku. Show all posts

Creative writing prompts for teens: Japanese wabi-sabi and nature poems

You may have  noticed that the past posts have deviated from the original intention of this blog which was to showcase my poetry and creative writing and to offer tips for aspiring writers. So, um, yeah, in an effort to make money from writing, I shared articles I'd written. Because poetry doesn't always pay the bills like NF.

So with that said, I'm planning to turn my focus back to the fine arts. I'm still poor and still need to make money so feel free to send large amounts. I jest. But I do promise not to cheapen the craft with the trade-writing. Sorry, to wax verbose but the moon is full and I felt a disclaimer was needed. So here's are helps for teen writers on Japanese poems using the art of wabi-sabi, just in time for April.

Why April? It's National Poetry Month. Some writers celebrate NaPoWriMo, or National Poetry Writer Month (an online poetry slam lollapalooza) . And what better month to celebrate poems than April with spring awakening, nature busting out all over and Earth Day nestled in? Want to join the poem-penning but don't know where to begin? Here are poetry writing prompts, story starters and word games I invented, to call forth your inner bard! Perfect for homeschooler parents, English and creative writing teachers.

Verse-adventure: Hands-down, there's no better poetry muse than mama
nature. Get outside and start your poem quest. Pack a bag with pen, paper, thesaurus and blanket. You could write on laptop or phone, but old school pen and paper are more conducive to getting poetry juices flowing. Quill and parchment would be best) Station yourself in a garden. Walk in the woods. Sit on the beach. Observe the elements: wind, sun, water. Notice the flora and fauna: trees, flowers, animals, land formations. Jot down sensory details--colors, sounds, smells, shapes. Check your thesaurus for new, fresh words to express ideas.

Japanese still life poem: In Japan, artists look for wabi-sabi or beauty in simplicity and imperfection. Artists focus on simple subjects: bonsai tree, a vase with a single flower, cherry blossom sprig or pussy willow frond. The artist uses pen or brush strokes to evoke the essence of the subject. Japanese poetry is similarly simple--haiku has 17 syllables in lines of 5, 7 and 5. Create a Japanese still life display. Explore all aspects. Using a few words, describe the item. Write a wabi-sabi haiku, tanka or cinquain. Here are printable directions from St. Jean Elementary). Or create a formless verse in your own style.

For more writing prompts, story starters and poetry templates, visit my blog www.freeprintablelessonplans.com. 

How to Write Japanese Haiku Poems

Haiku poems are more than just 17 syllables in three lines of 5-7-5 syllabication. Many styles of Japanese poetry rely on syllable count to establish poem structure, similar to the Greek iambic or "feet" (or meter) poems. Notable are the iambic pentameter poems, composed of five lines with ten syllables each. Haiku and senryu are structured on "mora" or "on" which are similar to syllables, but not an exact corellation. "On" in Haiku and Senryu is simliar to iambic feet, which are patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables. Thus haiku are cadence (rhythm) poems vs. rhyme poems, but the similarity of western poetry ends there. Use this guide to teach haiku writing or to write your own. Read on for more information... How to Write Japanese Haiku Poems

Japanese Poetry- Haiku vs. Senryu


Haiku vs. Senryu: Nature vs. Nuture
Haiku and Senryu are Japanese poems, both of which have 17 syllables, of three lines with 5-7-5 syllabication, but the similarity ends there. Haiku are aesthetic nature poems. Senryu are darkly humorous poems.
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How to Write Japanese Haiku Poetry


How to Write Japanese Haiku Poems
Haiku poems are more than just 17 syllables in three lines of 5-7-5 syllabication. Haiku are nature poems and contain kireji (cutting word) and kigo (seasonal word). Haiku contain a mood or tone shift and reflect simplicity.
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Halloween Haiku: The Dead


The Dead- a Haiku
Another Halloween Haiku from my friends at Associated Content. This is Rissa Watkins prize winning Halloween haiku,'The Dead' Pure creepy in 17 syllables.
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Halloween Haiku: Mind's Eye Halloween


Mind's Eye Halloween
Halloween Haiku; Haiku is the perfect poetry form for Halloween, Harvest, Autumn and fall. Haiku encompasses nature in little seed morsels. The rigor of writing in only 17 syllables makes the poet very choosy about her words. You will be seeing more Halloween Haiku from myself and other writers at Associated Content. And why not ask guests at your Halloween bash to jot down Haikus? Fun and creative party game.
Read on...

Halloween Haiku: Craving


Craving: A Vampiric Halloween Haiku
A Halloween haiku for vampire fans.Brought to The Writer's Garden by Associated Content contributor Gabriel Gadfly
Click to read if you dare...

Halloween Haiku: Black Cat Moondance


Black Cat Moondance: A Halloween Haiku
This delightful haiku is just in time for Halloween, featuring black cats and a special witch's brew!Brought to The Writer's Garden from Lyn McCallister @ Associated Content.
Read on...

Halloween Haiku: Masquerade


Halloween Haiku Masquerade
Trick or treat haiku. Halloween candy in an eerie minor key, by Associated Content contributor Sylvia Branch.
Read on...

Halloween Haiku: Haunts from Beyond


Haunts from Beyond
A scary Halloween haiku, this one comes to us from Jennifer Amlie of Associated Content.
Read on if you dare...

Halloween Haiku: Trick-or-Treat Fun

Halloween Night: A Haiku Contest Entry
Halloween Night: A Haiku Contest Entry
Halloween Haiku fun from AC Kay Wittenhauer; read on...

Halloween Haiku: Candy Corn Smiles


Halloween Haiku - Candy Corn Smiles
Halloween means ghouls and goblins, scarecrows and pumpkins and of course, the traditional favorite - candy corn. This little Halloween Haiku captures it all. Shared courtesy of Marie-Anne St.Jean at Associated Content
Click here to read...

April National Poetry Month Selections


Childrens' Poetry Around the World
Poetry is the color of music, the rhyme of the rainbow, and the rhythm of life. Poetry is ambrosia and nectar, the food of the gods, nourishment for the soul. Here are some collections of poetry which you can celebrate with a child.
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