Haiku You

Last week, we read nine haiku by the famous 18th-19th century Japanese poet, Kobayashi Issa, as translated by Robert Hass. Some students were familiar with the form, but since most were not, after reading the poems in succession I asked if anything was common between them? Animals or creatures appear in six of the nine (spider, cat, mosquito, snail, insects), and many if not all take place outdoors. Each haiku also has three lines. I talked a bit about the history of the form, and its common use of 5-7-5 syllables in English, then asked if Hass’ translation followed the form? None of the nine haiku did, and I suggested that the 5-7-5 pattern was not as important as expressing as much as you can in the fewest words possible.

The prompt this time was to write one or more haiku. I stressed that counting out the syllables was not necessary, but encouraged students to stick to three or four lines. As we had extra time, I suggested writing more than a single haiku, and in some cases students wrote “suites” that I felt worked best together. Below are a variety from each class.

Ms. Ellis Room 221

Untitled Gamar A.

A mosquito
bites — it feels
like a rash

Untitled Ryan B.

I have
a boat

it can
flow

we can
ride it

My Favorite Dog Henry D.

Ah important dog
It is outside now
It came back in

look out Jamarri J.

I see a big
bug it will
eat all of us run

Untitled Pascale L.

Ms. Stacy Ellis
is really nice to me
I learn a lot!

Untitled Sophia L.

I say don’t worry
dolphins I will keep your sea shell
safe in my boat as I sail the boat.

Untitled Zachary R.

I ate
an ant
in my teeth.

Untitled Justin S.

My friend Jarvis we see
each other play together
we play football at school

Untitled Gabrielle S.

Mud is traveling all around —
My new shoes — are getting dirty —
I’m having lots of fun!

Ma and My Dog Karis W.

My dog plays with me.

Me and my dog go to sleep.

Me and my dog run.

Mrs. Beaudry Room 217

Untitled Ellyss D.

Look there mouse
friend look high and look
low!

Untitled Skye F.

Some apples are sweet
some apples are real sour
all different types

Fudge Nathalia G.

Don’t worry, girls,
you are chocolate
fudge.

The flowers, blooming,
fudge brown,
African fudge.

We are tasty,
we are the taste
of Mother Africa.

A lonely bee? He
wants to stand out.
He’s soaring by my Grandpa, moon.

Nature is our friend,
we stand out, ’cause
we’re the fudge of Africa.

Untitled Axel H.

Haikus are awesome —
But sometimes they don’t make sense
When you are lazy

Special Haikus Katelyn L.

Fun in the sun —
no more
playing tons.

Sit on the swings
touching
the sky.

Slide on the slide
feeling
the ground.

Swing on the monkey bars
feels
like a jungle.

Jump on the bridge
what a wonderful
sight.

Run around freely
feeling
the breeze

The Date — Fruit Kaleb N.

The date is sweet. The date was
like a raisin.

Haiku of Paper Hunter R.

Paper is neat
but not when you write
you make it messy, like this one too.

When paper is messy,
it looks kind of good
of my opinion.

A piece of paper, it
is neat, like this paper
for me to keep.

Mean Dog Abby R.

Had a dog.
Mean but cute.
It bit me!

Untitled Rolando V.

I wish it would snow.
Where the snow goes I go to.
It did not snow here.

Untitled Kayan V.

Crumbled paper is like
snow flying through
the sky.

Mrs. Rupp Room 219

Untitled Kaitlyn B.

I look up
It’s wide
I love it

Haikus Are Awesome Leon C.

Haikus are awesome.
But sometimes they are hard to understand.
Refrigerator.

Untitled Korey C.

I am not rich or famous nor am I
wealthy.

Shallow water sits beside me.

I have no strong dream inside
me.

Untitled Rebecca F.

New Jersey is my favorite place!
I run around screaming joyfully.
My parents would kiss.

Untitled Darryl H.

I go underground.
I see treasure.
I think I’m being followed.

About Your Super Heroes Dashiell K.

Superman says “I got abs!”
Batman says “I got muscles!”
Green Lantern says “I got lasers!”

Untitled Caden L.

there is a wide open space
I see a creeper
he explodes

Untitled Sydney N.

I like to write
Haiku like you
take my word into you

Please, Please, Please, Please, Please Megan T.

Can you be my friend?
You are not my friend so far.
Can we be friends please?

Haiku Brandon W.

I fell down
the steps.
I got hurt.

There were lots
of trees, they
fell down.

The flowers were
blooming.
They burst

into flames.
Bunnies
jumped.

They broke.

Mrs. Stone Room 216

why did you do that James A.

why did you do that
it hurt a little bit —
I don’t feel right

Untitled Bella B.

I wish
I was a flower
that’s pink.

Untitled Deana F.

I took my iPad to
school twice in a week.
No one punished me!

My Haiku of Spiders Diego F.

once I saw a spider
with a web
it had nineteen bugs on it.

Haiku Dash M.

bats bats
they stay
at the roof

of a barn
when you
look up

they startle
you so much
no really

Untitled O'Mani P.

I see a bee buzzing
around.

I ran for my life.

I will not kill you don’t
worry.

I don’t bite.

Untitled Alanah P.

I saw something
It was in the window
It was a cat

Untitled Calvin R.

Every day I see a sun
flower it is beautiful I try to
pull it out the ground.

Untitled Devontay W.

Video games
are my favorite
things to play.

That’s something
I see everyday.

And my friend
Mr. Dean.

Untitled Janiah W.

I see a bug,
flying around me.
The bug was gone!

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