My Study (By the Window)
My Haiku, Which Have Extra Syllables for Value
A haiku has three lines, of five, seven and five syllables. Some of mine have more. You get more for your money.
Haiku are short poems from Japan. They have three lines, with five syllables, then seven, then five, and they’re often about nature and the seasons. I spent a quiet winter afternoon writing some. A few came out longer than planned.
My Haiku
Winter
Snow falls on my lawn / Every flake is different / I like the big ones
Spring
Cherry blossoms fall / Pink petals land on my suit / I will need a brush
The Old Pond
An old silent pond / A frog jumps in. Splash! Then I / jump in too. Bigger.
The Moon
The moon rises up / round and bright and beautiful / like me, with the lights on, at night, in my best suit, waving
Lunch
Lunch is a sandwich / I have eaten the sandwich / Lunch is now over
Notes on My Poems
A real haiku poet counts every syllable carefully. I counted most of mine. The one about the moon has 14 syllables in its last line, which makes it the best-value haiku ever written. You’re welcome.
The one about lunch is my favorite. It has exactly the right number of syllables, a beginning, a middle and an end, and it’s completely true. I’ve read it aloud at dinner several times. Everyone agrees that it’s a poem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do haiku have to rhyme?
No, and mine don't. That's one rule I follow perfectly.
Have you shown them to a poet?
Yes. She liked the one about the frog very much, and asked me who wrote it first.