Haiku

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/haiku

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the poetic tradition?Japanese, originating from the 'hokku' of renga
2. What is the core aesthetic?Embraces 'mono no aware,' a sensitivity to the transient nature of things
3. Why do haiku use seasonal words?Seasonal words, called kigo, help the poem feel like it belongs to a specific time of year and connect us to nature's cycle.
4. How does a haiku show the feeling of "mono no aware"?By focusing on quick moments like a dewdrop or a falling leaf, a haiku reminds us that life is fleeting and beautiful.

Mono no aware: A Japanese term for the pathos of things, a gentle sadness at impermanence.
Renga: A collaborative form of Japanese linked verse poetry, historically significant.
Hokku: The opening stanza of a renga, which served as the precursor to haiku.
Kigo: A word or phrase in haiku that signifies the season, grounding the poem.