International Haiku Day
by Siniah James
Annually on April 17th, Haiku Day is celebrated. Haiku Day is a day celebrating the art form of haiku, a short, three-line poem, which has a specific syllable count (5-7-5). Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that is non-rhyming, and Haiku was originally found as the opening to another form of Japanese poetry called a Renga. It took until the mid-1600s for Hokku, the form Haiku was found in Hokku at this time, to start appearing independently from its parent form, Renga, and it's Renku roots. Haiku often focuses on beauty, emotions, seasons, and nature, also you do not repeat words or ideas that give the same meaning. Haiku is a short but powerful form of poetry that is one of my favorites, I love to read it and teach others about it also love to be taught about it from others. Haiku could also help people get more into literature and reading with its few words but powerful impact.
Here is an example of a Haiku..
¨The Old Pond¨ by Matsuo Basho
An ancient pool
A frog that jumps in
The sound of water.
Here is another example of a Haiku..
A breeze whispers softly,
Leaves dance beneath the sky's embrace,
Haiku in the air.