Haiku Series
How to Create Your Own
Definition
 A Japanese verse in three lines.
 Line one has 5 syllables, line 2 has 7 syllables and
line three has 5 syllables. They don’t rhyme.
 They use sensory language to capture a feeling or
image, rather than similes or metaphors.
 They are often inspired by nature and the natural
world.
Sample Form
 Line 1: 5 syllables
 Line 2 : 7 syllables
 Line 3: 5 syllables
Haiku Series Example
dark dog splashes in
black water, dark sky above
wind plays rough with trees
short night walk with dog
lone leaf rattles down driveway
distant church bells chime
walking my two dogs
melting snow, trees above us
a network of sleep
--Judith Ford
Tips
 Write from personal experience or everyday natural
events.
 Put two images together in the poem to create
harmony or contrast, using words that are specific,
common, and natural.
 Avoid long words, rhymes, similes, and metaphors.
 Focus on just one or two images.
How to Write a Haiku
Series
 Choose a subject from nature.
 Consider including a reference to the seasons.
 Use sensory language to describe the situation.
 Describe the details.
 What did you notice about the subject? What colors,
textures, and contrasts did you observe?
 How did the subject sound? What was the feeling and
volume of the event that took place?
 Did it have a smell or a taste? How can you accurately
describe the way it felt?
Requirements
 Creatively and effectively uses the appropriate poetic form (a
haiku series).
 Student’s use of vocabulary is precise, vivid, and paints a strong
clear and complete picture in the reader’s mind.
 Effectively uses 3 poetic techniques to reinforce the theme.
 Has grade-level appropriate spelling, grammar, and punctuation;
contains few, if any, errors that do not interfere with the reader’s
understanding.
 Student’s work demonstrates a complete understanding of the
assignment and goes beyond the basic requirements.
 Effective and creative use of an illustration enhances the poem’s
meaning (add a drawing or a picture).
Types of Figurative
Language to Consider
 Alliteration
• Assonance
 Allusion
 Consonance
 Rhyme
 End
 Internal
 Hyperbole
 Onomatopoeia
 Metaphor
 Simile
 Personification
 Rhythm
 Repetition
 Imagery