Creative writing workshop lesson

1. Diction & Haiku Writing Workshop #3

2. The Sun by Mary Oliver Have you ever seen anything in your life more wonderful than the way the sun, every evening, relaxed and easy, floats toward the horizon and into the clouds or the hills, or the rumpled sea, and is gone-- and how it slides again out of the blackness, every morning, on the other side of the world, like a red flower streaming upward on its heavenly oils, say, on a morning in early summer, at its perfect imperial distance-- and have you ever felt for anything such wild love-- do you think there is anywhere, in any language, a word billowing enough for the pleasure that fills you, as the sun reaches out, as it warms you as you stand there, empty-handed-- or have you too turned from this world-- or have you too gone crazy for power, for things?

3. Poetry Reponse Did you like or dislike the poem? Why? What part(s) stood out to you? What does this poem mean to you?

4. Word Pool Diction: Word Choice Haiku: an unrhymed poem of Japanese origin Syllable: a unit of spoken language (The word syll-a-ble has 3. How many does your name have?) Insight: the power or act of seeing into a situation

5. Writing Warm Up Zen Meditation Image Cards Stream of Consciousness free write

6. Contemporary Haiku Use of three (or fewer) lines of 17 or fewer syllables. Maybe 5-7-5, maybe not. Use of imagery (like a season word) Contrast and compare two events, images or situations Traditional Japanese haiku focuses on nature and the place of humans in it. Modern haiku poets, both in Japan and the West, consider a broader range of subject matter suitable, including urban contexts.

7. Seasonal Imagery Winter = burden, cold, sadness, hunger, tranquility or peace. Use words like "snow," "ice," "dead tree," "leafless," etc. Summer= feelings of warmth, vibrancy, love, anger, temptation, etc. Use imagery of the sky, beaches, heat, or romance. Autumn = decay, belief in the supernatural, jealousy, saying goodbye, loss, regret. Use images like falling leaves, shadows and autumn colors. Spring =innocence, youth, passion and fickleness. Anything with blossoms, new plantsand warm rains can imply spring.

8. Examples spring feverthe blue sky tugsat my kite by Beverly A. Tift snorkelinga chasm as deepas fear by George Swede

9. Examples It’s cold—and I wait For someone to shelter me And take me from here. -Anonymous

10. Nature Walk Guidelines for Walking Meditation Walk alone and in silence. We will wander and wonder for 15 minutes. Bring your notebook and pen with you! Write down words or phrases that could be used in your haiku. When you hear the chime, walk to Ms. Fajkus so we can go back inside.

11. Homework Write and illustrate one (1) haiku. Take your time; choose your words carefully. Write or type it neatly on a half-sheet of blank white paper. Turn it in at the beginning of the next workshop. The best ones will go up on the wall for all to see.