What is a Haiku?
What is a Haiku?
Leaves, whirling, twirling
Falling from their tired trees
Ready for winter
The cunning cat creeps
Onto the counter to sip
A drop of spilled milk
These short poems are examples of haiku.
Haiku are short, three-line poems that originated in Japan.
While haiku can be written about anything, they are traditionally written about nature and animals. It usually contains a simple idea or message.
You can remember the format of a haiku by focusing on the numbers 5-7-5.
Every haiku has three lines.
The first line has 5 syllables.
The second line has 7 syllables.
The third line has 5 syllables.
Leaves, whirling, twirling (5)
Falling from their tired trees (7)
Ready for winter (5)
The cunning cat creeps (5)
Onto the counter to sip (7)
A drop of spilled milk (5)
Each line does not have to contain a complete sentence. A sentence can span all three lines. A word with multiple syllables can also be split up between two lines.
A haiku does not have to rhyme. In fact, haiku usually do not rhyme.
Read the haiku and answer the questions on the worksheets below. Then try to write your own haiku.
Related Lessons:
Additional Resources: