1. HAIKU by peter van der meulen

2. A haiku is a three line poem consisting of 5–7–5 syllables for example: the/ ca/the/dral/ bell (5) is sha/king/ a / few/ snow/flakes (7) from/ the/ mor/ning/ air (5) -Virgilio

3. HISTORY Haiku evolved from tanka (short poems) 31 syllable poems structured 5-7-5-7-7 developed by court poets in the Heian period (794-1185). These tanka were extended into renga (linked verses). Renga were written in groups with a hokku (opening verse) of 17 syllables (5-7-5) which established a seasonal setting or mood around which the remainder of the poem was fashioned.

4. Four concepts intrinsic to a true haiku… kigo kireji yugen & kyo

5. kigo - a word suggesting a season

6. kireji - a cutting word such as ya… a moment to meditate

7. yugen - lies beneath the surface… touches the heart

8. kyo – become one with the object… do not impose yourself on it -Bashõ

11. hanamori ya shiroki kashira o tsukiawase -Kyori blossom guards their white heads facing each other -Kyori

13. There are four pre-eminent haiku poets… Matsuo Bashõ Yosa Buson Kobayashi Issa & Masaoka Shiki

21. a clear waterfall into the ripple fall green pine needles -Bashõ

25. evening breeze — water is slapping against the legs of a white heron -Buson

27. summer night ending so soon, on the river shallows still remains the moon in a sliver -Buson

29. komu na yo ga mata mo aro ka tsuki ni kari -Buson will it come again… another night like this one wild geese and the moon -Buson

33. “ I make my appearance I. . . the toad emerge from my thicket.” -Issa

35. the snail climbs Mount Fuji slowly. . .slowly -Issa

43. a school of trout swam by the color of the water -Shiki

49. Japan’s two main religions. . . Shintoism and Zen Buddhism. . . are both expressed through Haiku.

51. Shintoism worships kami – the spirits of nature.

55. to pluck it a pity to leave it a pity ah. . .this violet -Naojo

57. Zen Buddhism which strives for nirvana through meditation.

61. snow has melted on one shoulder of the great Buddha -Shiki

63. from the nose of the colossal Buddha a swallow emerges -Issa

65. Through haiku we are released into nearness.

67. As with all genuine art, a true haiku is a clarification of experience.

71. Class contemplating Japanese art in springtime… inspirational! - ART 221-001 5/2009

81. Thank you, for your time. -peter