OBJECTIVE:
Writing HAIKUS is just flat out fun. It is also a great way to interact creatively with the photographs on piclits.com.

A Haiku was originally a Japanese form poetry, but many people write haikus for fun all over the world.

A haiku has 17 syllables total. The first line has five syllables; the second seven; the third five. 5-7-5 is an easy visual to help you remember.

Here is a famous example:

An old silent pond…	5
A frog jumps into the pond,	7
splash! Silence again.	5

–Matsuo Basho

Over the wintry	5
forest, winds howl in rage	7
with no leaves to blow.	5

–Soseki (1275-1351)

But what are haikus about? Some can be descriptive as in the examples above, many are about seasonal changes, and others are complex statements. But you should set out to write a haiku that helps the viewer see the photograph in a new way.

So, we will select an amazing photo, think creatively, and generate a haiku in the FREESTYLE mode on piclits.com.

MODEL PIC-LIT:

So, the syllable count might be 5-6-6, but close enough! This is a great haiku because it helps us feel the tension in the moment before a game of foosball begins.

GUIDED PRACTICE WRITING PROMPT:

1. Go to piclits.com
2. Sign in with your e-mail and password
3. Select a picture from the gallery of pictures
4. In FREESTYLE mode, write a HAIKU to enhance the viewer’s understanding of the photograph.