Haiku
by Tom & Lynn Crowell
Haiku is a fascinating form of Japanese poetry that has some unique features. It doesn't rhyme. It tends to follow a 17-syllable pattern that is broken up into 3 lines: Five syllables for line 1. Seven syllables for line 2. Five syllables for line 3.
Tom and Lynn thought it would be fun to teach by example. You'll notice that all of the verses and the chorus are actually written in the haiku form, with each haiku being followed by the line "Haiku. It's a haiku." Yes, it was hard work making the syllables fit with the time signature, but they did it!
The song also explains some of the other common elements. For example, haiku will use a lot of imagery, talk about the seasons, and tell a story with a twist in the last line. It's an enjoyable challenge to fit all of these elements into 17 syllables!
There are optional harmonies for this song to help fill out the lush, full-sounding track. They are fairly static, so students can be successful, even those who haven't tried singing harmony before.
Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.