Haiku

A while back we checked out a really cool picture book called "Basho and the River Stones," by Tim Myers. Before I read the book, I had no idea that Basho was the most famous of the haiku writers, maybe even the originator of that poetic form (I wasn't clear on that item). We enjoyed the book so much that we checked out a book of Basho's poems. Then, the kids began trying to write some haiku, which is really very simple. There are 17 syllables in all: 5 on the first line, 7 on the second line, and 5 on the third line. Haiku is usually written about nature, but it doesn't have to be. The kids have some really great poetry. I had to laugh the other day when we were driving along and Nathan said, "I feel a haiku coming on." Here is my first attempt (in many years):

Bitter, frozen morn
Huffing puff of cloudy breath
Falls as newborn snow.