5,7,5 - it must be a Haiku!

We've been looking at Haiku at poetry class - a form of poetry I really like.  Haiku (like Tanka and Renga) comes from Japan and consists of three lines of 5,7,5 syllables.  With such a short piece of writing you have to be sparing on words whilst using one idea/concept.  To see examples of Haiku and to learn more go to http://www.toyomasu.com/haiku/ 

The class has been asked to write 5 to 7 linked Haiku using the notes we wrote in our notebooks the week before based on our 'senses'.  I've finally managed something with some tweaking and this morning wrote a separate one prompted by the weather outside.  Writing different forms of poetry is a nice challenge. There is something very satisfying when you complete it, especially as in the beginning you wonder how you will ever accomplish it (more so if you have lots of rhyming to do!).  I've only tried a few forms over the years - Sonnet, Villanelle, Haiku, Tanka and Sestina.  Here is a Haiku I wrote some years ago:

Grace

Forgiveness is mine,

undeservedly so. Grace

is His gift to me.

©2004

2^nd Prize in “Areopagus” poetry magazine Autumn edition